Darkest Darkness
by schrijver
Summary: Set of long stories taking what might have happened to Maleficent and Lily after season 4. Updated! Maleficent meets the three good fairies and Lily finally finds her father's location.
1. Of the Night

**A/N: Why, h** **ello! Thanks for reading this! Well, as Maleficent and Lily are not returning so soon (and I sadly think that they will never return), I decided to write this, 'cause their storyline was so good that it sounds rather stupid that the writers didn't want to explore it.** **The storyline is completely based on the show, and maybe I took into account a theory or two regarding, for example, who Lily's father might be.** **Either way, I tried to make it as realistic as possible. Sure, it is not like I am a professional writer. Not at all. But I'm trying, at least.**

 **I REALLY pray my job exceeds your expectations. Any criticism is quite welcome. ;)**

* * *

 _Of the Night_

Lily had no knowledge when dealing with things such as the rarest magic in the world.

'Love' had never been a part of her life.

And since when she found out who her mother truly was, Lily actually expected her to understand the hatred, to feel that same distance when it comes to kindness and compassion. The title of 'Mistress of All Evil' must have come from somewhere, though not from cursing a child, which originally she didn't, in the first place. The infamous beautiful, elegant and powerful evil dragon-sorceress must had faced as many distress one is capable of: heroes putting down her goals, dreams and hopes, all in the name of what they considered as right, and not considering what anyone else thought. The 'Land Without Magic' had taught Lily that villains were cruel, mean, selfish, sadist, and above all, prideful, for they never surrendered to feelings that could be the beginning of any weakness. They cared for no one.

Therefore, Lily expected no 'love' from her mother. Regardless of that, however, she had wanted to find her because it was her right to do so – and because she wanted revenge. Why wouldn't a villain want to purse for revenge? That was supposed to be far too easy to get.

And yet...there she was – Maleficent, the dragon sorceress – sitting in a sea of dried leaves, her back rested against an old fallen tree, in the middle of nowhere...smiling. Her mother was there beside her, eyes shining in grace, patience, admiration and of all things...love!

Was this supposed to make any sense?

Lily couldn't find one single rational explanation.

Their 'deal' had been clear and her mother shouldn't be hopeful about it: Lily would stay for a week and then be gone.

Right?

It wouldn't make sense if so. Not after searching for years. This woman of bright eyes had given her a new prospect – a future. Lily had wanted for revenge first and then a future. Reflecting in her own words, she found the inconsistency. If she wanted a future, a chance of happiness, she knew she could not leave the town…she just couldn't leave her mother behind.

"Who hurt you?"

Her voice, so soft due the tears and mature due the years, touched Lily's ears like the wind, which seemed to insist on beating against their faces. But a loving glance along a smile brought that one special warmth, and suddenly the cold did not seem to matter. It was like being wrapped in a fur blanket.

What an odd feeling.

"…what?"

One could barely recognize any voice there. She was tired. Her heart was beginning to settle down and yet her blood literally boiled…it felt so good. She wondered if other dragons could hear the beast talking inside their heads too.

She glanced back at the infamous sorceress. She was so beautiful it came to be frightening, red lips pressed in a thin line as her face changed to watch her daughter with a worried and slightly irritated frown. Lily guessed she was not pleased.

"You're wounded. Why?"

The Evil Queen's selfish smile came into her mind. And a knife. Then the blood and darkness and in a second, the sharp pain was back. Lily looked back down to her left hand.

The magic of the dragon was involuntary, and Lily could only watch, breathless and perplexed, as the wound in her hand was partially cured in a dash of blackness, stopping the bleeding and what was left was a deep cut. The wound itself was specifically made to boot a significant amount of blood, and perfect to wake the anger kept in her heart and in her memoirs after a life of suffering. Anguish had been thrown in the flames of a dragon and when Lily saw Snow White, she had really wanted to sink her teeth on her insignificant body, to finish her for once and all – for her arrogance and every act of repentance that did not seem to convince anyone. Lily could tell that the acclaimed heroine felt guilty for what she had done, but nothing she did or said would make the bad memories go away. The loneliness…the lack of understanding. It was something Lily would never forget, not even wanting too much.

And it burned like hell.

"Lily," Her mother's voice sounded stern. "Who did this? Why would anyone want to hurt you?"

 _'Why wouldn't they?'_ The young dragon frowned, trying to recollect the facts from the last two hours, "The Evil Queen…Said she wanted...something. Fighting for what we deserve. I don't know. I didn't let her finish before she went mad and did this."

Maleficent closed her eyes for a moment and sighed deeply as angry frown clung her face. She then looked forward to the horizon, to the path she used to get there.

"What are you planning, Regina?"

Lily felt the darkness inside her heart purse for action.

"You're going after her?" She inquired almost…hungrily. She did notice this and knew it wouldn't be the first time she would wish to take her often stupid words back.

Maleficent made no mind at the anger exposed by her daughter, and if she did, she didn't show it. "It can wait." Then, her dark appearance was easily replaced by a compassionate sigh, "What cannot, however–" She glanced down at Lily's hand to carefully analyse the wound on her palm. The cut was long and the blood had already dried up. "Be still. This will take but a second."

Lily grimaced, wild instincts expecting a sharp pain. But her mother made a simple motion with her hand, releasing a bluish colour of magic and the wound was closed with no traces of scars.

It was impressive.

"That's–" Lily could not think of an adjective. She was suddenly curious. "Can I do that?"

"Of course." Maleficent used an obvious tone, though not on purpose neither to insinuate any stupidity, but to state a true, "You're my daughter."

And the pride she exposed by saying that was quite shocking.

"Right." Lily became thoughtful. Her mind made a quick travel to another realm, where a little girl was taught about magic and spell and flying by her dragon mother, powerful and kind, willing to listen to her thoughts and feelings. The baby rattle was proof enough of a woman who cared for her child. A purple orb wrapped by a silver dragon foot. Small and fragile and it held much more meaning than the treasures any dragon probably had stolen from a rich king or emperor.

Lily never envied someone that much.

"You make a fine dragon."

Lily awoke from her trance in order to stop and then process the words spoken. She wasn't expecting a compliment.

"I do?"

Maleficent was smiling, "You look like me."

The unquestionable pride described in her features, shining through her blue eyes, made Lily swallow back a painful knot. She could not say there was a moment in her life when someone felt proud of anything she had done.

Especially when it comes to turning into a freaking dragon.

"I don't have horns." She then realized, thinking aloud.

"You are lucky then." A hand was touching her hair, putting a lose lock behind her ear. Lily never thought of Maleficent as a woman who enjoyed physical contact, which was probably true, but 'touching' was also a way to make things real.

Lily wished she had the same courage.

"How?" She wondered. Horns were frightening, after all.

Maleficent smirked softly.

"Trees branches."

Lily returned a half smile. For some reason, she felt that her mother said that for self–experience.

"Who taught you? To fly, I mean?" Lily was not good at starting conversations, but she found the subject of her heritage something rather interesting, in which Maleficent would probably have no trouble in talking about. "Other dragons? You guys live in clans or something of soot, right?"

Maleficent smiled as she noticed that Lily had been interested in doing some research on her origins, "We do live in clans, yes, though not we all. I didn't, as I wasn't born a dragon like you."

Lily was surprised, "You weren't?"

"No. I always had a deep connection with magic, as I was raised in the Enchanted Forest, but I had to purse for _the flame of the dragon_ , as well someone willing to teach me _the_ _ways of the dragon_ – a mentor. He called himself ' _the Dragon_ '. Not a modest title, but Master, as I addressed him, was the kindest man I ever knew. He did teach me everything I know of a dragon's life. We lived in the woods, away from a civilization that feared our magic. As the first war came and went by, Master was sought for the Emperor as a healer. Potions and gardening were what he studied the most and so I followed behind. Later on, I found out I could actually create magic, as in spells, incantations…and _curses_." She added with a sigh. "The latter, I learned by myself and wrote them down in spell book. As in flying, it took me years of persistence and a few scolding, of course."

"What, really?" Lily couldn't quite picture her mother as a rebel young woman.

Maleficent noticed her daughter's amusement and smiled more openly, "I admit I was a bit difficult to handle in my younger years. But you definitely did better than me in my first time. I could barely fly a few meters and you can already breathe fire. I guess I lacked your determination." She finished with a wink.

Lily's doubtful look reminded Maleficent of herself whenever she wanted to think of a way to discern on which words said were true or mere speculation. Seeing her daughter like this made her wonder how many things they had in common.

But only time would tell her.

"Do you think you can stand?"

Lily was confused. "Why?"

"You look drained."

Now that she could think, Lily knew so. Her muscles and bones suffered nothing, but it was like her mind lacked energy to focus – she had absorbed too much information.

"It is always like this?" She asked.

"Only the first time. You used a lot of magic at once." Maleficent smiled in reassurance, "Don't worry. A night of rest and you'll be as fine as rain."

Maleficent stood up and offered a hand to Lily, who accepted the help. But before she could take the first step, the world around her became another, colours were gone, the trees were giants and the sunlight was almost unbearable to her eyes.

She stepped back, dizziness and nausea being all she knew at that moment. She remembered of her days as a drunk crazy teenager. But this time, she wasn't alone.

"Easy, now." Her mother said. "Don't move so fast."

Lily leaned back against the fallen tree. Her heart was pounding. She was panting.

"My head hurts." She whispered. It was like one of her migraines after another sleepless night caused by countless nightmares.

"Breathe. Just breathe."

Lily did as she was told. Maleficent smoothed her hair, throwing it back, bringing a sense of relief. Lily forced a smile, because she could not find words to express her gratitude.

Soon, she heard hurried footsteps against the dry leaves on the ground. She looked up and saw Emma.

"Hey, you okay?" She heard the sheriff ask once they were close enough.

Lily did not know how to react.

"I–I'm fine." She managed to say.

Emma's face relaxed and she let out the air she didn't know she was holding. Lily looked down to her feet. She was not used to be the centre of attention, no one really had cared for her before, and to be the target of Emma's friendship was something she never dare to hope again.

"What's wrong?" Emma eyed Maleficent in honest concern.

"It was her first transformation. She's overwhelmed with magic." Said the sorceress. "But time and a few lessons will teach her how to control it. I'll make sure of it."

Lily felt Emma's gaze fall upon herself once again.

"So you are staying?"

Lily nodded, "For a week."

"One– _Oh_!" Emma smiled to herself. She had said the exactly same thing a couple of years ago, "Well, we're heading home. Are you coming with us?"

Lily was tempted to snap. The reason was the background of the scene, where there were those who had unjustly hurt her the most: Snow White and her prince. Under no circumstances she would cross their paths again. She did not want to be near them, did not want to hear their voices, their excuses, did not want to feel their presence.

"You think it's safe to use the car–" Liz finally found her voice. Emma and Maleficent looked at her with apprehension. "–when I can get angry and cause havoc?"

Her throat went dry, and she let out a long sigh to emphasize her discomfort. Emma saw a clumsy child, her old childhood friend, afraid of the world and with a baby rattle in her right hand. She knew Lily was trying to give her a choice to leave.

But Emma kept her promise - she did not give up.

"I won't let anything–"

"You don't know that." Lily interrupted. Her gaze shifted back to the couple in the background. Emma didn't even move her head to understand whatever all this was about. She decided to opt for a diplomatic solution.

"My parents have the truck…you guys can come with me and Killian in the car. But you don't need to come with us if you don't want to." And in order to ensure their reconciliation, Emma knelt before Lily, touched her arm and smiled. Her friendly gesture caught Killian's attention, who watched the scene a few steps aback. Maleficent saw him approaching with caution, as a man would do to protect his wife. The sorceress glared at the pirate.

"I know a place where you can stay." Emma then suggested. "I can take you there to spend the night."

"Thank you." Maleficent said suddenly.

Lily tried to intervene, "But I–"

"Trust me." Maleficent cut her off, her gentle gaze becoming severe – the typical concerned mother trying at all costs to put some sense into her daughter's head.

It worked.

"Fine."

And even Emma was surprised.

"That was fast." The Saviour's whisper sounded too loud, and while Maleficent couldn't understand, Lily smirked at the meaning of the words.

After all, only Emma had managed to gain her trust so quickly.

"Let's go."

In the end, Emma had to stop the car close to where Lily was and help her into the car. It would take time, but with the revealed truth, there were dark past nor wrong choices that could overcome the connection they had. For Emma, of course, it was good to have her friend back. As for Lily, it was obviously a little weird, but enough. She had missed Emma.

The trip, in short, was silent.

Stress ended up defeating Lily by making her fall asleep, her head rested on her mother's shoulder. Maleficent stroked her hair in a motherly gesture, kissing her temple gently. Emma felt her heart sank as looking at mother and daughter through the rear–view mirror. Lily may never have experienced love before, but she was smarter than Emma even tried to be: it was enough for her to have her mother close, and her love was enough for her to trust, and to humbly enjoy and discover the wonders of being loved. It mattered little to show her weaknesses for those she hated most – she just wanted to rest peacefully in her mother's loving arms.

Such vulnerability brought Emma back to when she found out about her own truth. However, even with only light in herself, she had not been so open to her mother's affections in the beginning of everything. There was a lot of resistance, many walls to be put down and at the end, almost everything was put to waste because of a lie that covered a huge injustice.

Emma shook her head and her eyes were back to the road. The tale of a villain that lost her child after the selfish act of two heroes would haunt her dreams for a while.

 _"Can you assure me that it'll be everything alright between our families from now on?"_

Lily woke up to hear this question. She was lying in the bed of what looked like to be an hotel room, her bags there too, surprisingly put into order. Her boots were on the floor, by the bed, placed side by side. Over her body, serving as shelter from the cold, there was a grey and tricky coat which held a familiar – and strangely woody – perfume. Lily noticed a small fireplace and she wouldn't be surprised if her mother had actually made use of magic to warm the place.

"Why it wouldn't be?"

Speaking of her, Maleficent was talking to Emma in the corridor, the door slightly open. At the question, the sorceress learned against the door frame and placed a hand in her hip. She wasn't wearing her coat nor suit, which actually only helped on making her look even more scaring, and by her posture, Lily could bet she was upset.

Emma tried to explain herself, "She turned into a dragon. Maybe we can help–"

"Oh, and who might you have in mind? Regina? A fair proposal, if she hadn't awakened the so-called monster inside the vile creatures you surely think dragons are."

Lily was sure her heart was beating faster in anticipation. She felt a rush of nervousness. ' _That_ ' was a low, demanding voice. ' _That_ ' was the powerful sorceress who reserved any kindness to her daughter, only.

Emma was in trouble.

"I didn't mean to intrude–"

"You sure didn't." Maleficent snapped. Lily heard her exhale some air and just knew that now she looked calmer. "I appreciate the concern though. I heard you were friends as children."

"We still are." Emma wanted to confirm said 'affirmation' more to herself than to the woman before her.

"Good. Then you should know that she will be fine. As her mother, I will focus on her dragon blood. First of all, she needs to know how to fly–" Emma's worried gaze made Maleficent stop for a moment before adding, "–with my word of no destruction of public property nor harmed innocents."

"Great." Emma breathed. "About my parents–"

"They must have told you that I went to them for help."

Emma nodded, "I almost didn't believe them."

"I wouldn't if I was you. But see the irony." Maleficent let out a low laugh. "Oh, dear…what an awkward situation. Fate has indeed a sense of humour."

Both Lily and Emma didn't understand.

"What do you mean?" the Saviour asked.

"Simple. Your parents took my Lily away and it turned out that you, their daughter, would be the one to find her and–" Her voice trailed off and her face turned serene. That was a sincere affection in her eyes. Emma was amazed by how such a cold woman could look so kind when it comes to talking about her child. Yet again, she could understand the feeling very well. "…and to bring her back to me. And for this, you have my eternal gratitude."

Emma, having dealing with the Evil Queen thousands of times, really did not how to face the dragon that once tried to kill her and now was thanking her – and who came to be her childhood friend's mother. So, she did was she did best – she smiled, "I'm glad I could help."

 _"Still…"_

It didn't last long, of course.

Maleficent's face became dangerous. Her eyes, dark. "Even though no curses shall be placed upon your family, that does not mean I wouldn't advise you to keep they at bay. And 'far' away from 'my' daughter."

Emma frowned, "You think they would–?"

"They were supposed to have helped me into defeating Regina." The sorceress snapped again. She then straightened herself, narrowing her eyes and taking a step closer to Emma. The Saviour didn't step back, but she also didn't dare facing the sorceress so directly. This woman had the blood of a reptile, which are known to be feral felt like a corned prey.

Maleficent continued, "Instead…they stole my child, broke their promise and here we are, in this world. I believe that as Saviour you are to stop them if they try anything. The same can be said about Regina. She didn't hesitate to steal Lily's blood and use the pen on the book."

Emma practically trembled at the memory.

"Listen–"

"No. Listen 'you', Saviour. Take the advice and keep an eye on her. I've known Regina from long before she became the Evil Queen. I know of the things she did, the innocent lives she took, and the way she took them. It makes Cruella look as dangerous as one of her puppies. But Regina wouldn't stop while people around her were happy. In time, believe you or not, she might stab you in the back. I said this for myself – I was her only friend, but once she knew I needn't a curse to find my happy ending, my Lilith, she made sure I didn't find her at all."

Emma's eyes told Maleficent that she was truly surprised.

"You think she trapped you under the town because–"

"Because she envied me? Perhaps. She certainly didn't do it because I was a bad girl. At least, not totally." Maleficent smirked sarcastically. "She did know of my child, however; not of how I lost her. One wouldn't imagine your only friend as your enemy, but here am I."

Emma looked truly uncomfortable, "Did she...did she tell you that?"

"No. Yet she could have forced me into a life as a human. She didn't. She made me a prisoner inside my own nature." The sorceress sighed sorely. "I could do nothing but think of my child. Now she is here and I don't intent to lose her ever again. But I warn you: if Regina touches my Lily again, I'll not hesitate to eliminate her."

"She won't." Emma's voice was true to her promise. "You have my word."

Maleficent nodded, "I appreciate."

And before Emma could protest, a dragon's staff appeared into the sorceress' right hand in a purple smoke. Lily raised an eyebrow, noting the similarity between the staff and the rattle she had won on that very same day.

"Okay, uh..." Emma felt awkward. This was the very person who 'inspired' Regina to turn evil. A freaking dragon. What she was still doing there? "Have a good night."

And the Saviour left.

Lily sat on the bed and rubbed her eyes. It had been easily the heaviest sleep of her life. She felt completely refreshed, but…she just had the strangest of nightmares: dark knights, their Snow Queen and a puppy like prince. Worse thing was that she felt it had been somewhat real. Another reality, perhaps? Visions of the future? She had no idea, but to serve her enemy and try to kill her best friend hadn't been worse than not knowing where her mother was, or if she was alive.

 _'Damn it.'_

Maleficent hadn't noticed her child's movements just yet. She closed the door and approached the bed. Once she saw Lily staring at her, her face was graced with a hopeful grin.

"You are awake."

Lily felt that her mother could barely contain her happiness. It was so strange. She was happy just to have her daughter there with her.

"Are you feeling better?" She then asked, turning on the small lampshade beside the bed.

Lily pressed her eyes together - the light burning and shaking the sleepy muscles of her body. She looked at a clock on the small table beside the bed. It read '7:32 PM.'

Her eyes widened. "I was out for eight hours?"

"Magic can be tiring." Maleficent placed her staff against the wall and sat on a chair that was placed by the bed. Lily noted how even in an informal conversation, her mother behaved so demure and quietly, dress up as a mafia boss, legs crossed and hands politely placed on her lap, careful not to be invading someone's personal space – grace in contrast to a darkened nature; light and darkness in perfect harmony.

Lily couldn't believe 'this' woman was her mother.

"I will not ask how you slept, because it'd be extremely ironic of me, taking how I'm seen in this strange world, so..."

Oh, well, maybe she could. The sarcasm was the same.

"Hungry?"

Lily suddenly felt empty, as if she had not eaten in days.

"Yeah."

Maleficent smiled, and reached out to the table behind her. Lily, who was oblivious to her surroundings, soon became alert to a delicious aroma. Her mother offered her a package, which she gladly accepted. Opening it, Lily found a smaller package filled with chips and two sandwiches featuring all the usual suspects of a self-respectful snack – lettuce, tomato, cucumber, chicken spread and melted cheddar cheese, all smothered in tangy honey mustard dressing.

In response to the beautiful visual art, her stomach growled loudly.

A wave of awkwardness hit mother and child.

Maleficent proceeded on a nervous explanation, "Takes great magic to spark the dragon inside you. I once felt that way, when I was younger. And I was famished upon waking up. I thought you–"

"You brought me food."

The words didn't sound harsh, but they did sound abrupt and Maleficent took that as a bad sign. Embarrassment squeezed her heart and her mind cursed her actions as she looked away from her daughter's eyes, "If you don't like it, I can manage to bring you…perhaps…well, any–"

"It's fine." Lily tried to ease the woman's nerves. Her mother seemed afraid of her – of losing her – and she didn't like it. They had a deal – seven days…though Lily knew it would be so much more than that. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Maleficent's eyes found her hands, denouncing her anxiousness. She frowned, "The Saviour mentioned you have much healthier eating habits than her; that you usually prefer coffee over those...interesting artificial things parents feed their children with."

Lily couldn't help a small smile, "Like Coke?"

Maleficent raised her head, "That's the dark drink, isn't?" She frowned, "It has a curious taste. Refreshing, but too sweet if not cold."

That alone sparked an uncommon sense of curiosity in Lily's mind. "What do dragons eat?" She found herself asking.

The nature of the question held genuine interest and the need to build some kind of pleasant conversation...and Maleficent could not remember a moment in her life where she felt so excited to share her life with someone.

"I don't hunt down people, if that's what this world preaches about dragons." She allowed herself to smile a little. "I used not to feed myself in dragon form. If so, it would take some time and magic to hunt enough meat to feed me and that would be a bit too much. Not to mention all the unnecessary attention."

"So you lived as human?"

"Mostly. But that wouldn't change my hunting routine."

Lily blinked, "Hunting?"

"There are things one can only do as a dragon. _Hunting_ is an old habit." Maleficent said simply. "Do you have any? Something you enjoy doing? Or perhaps eating? Is there anything else you like to eat?"

Lily stared at her mother in great surprise. She couldn't remember the last time someone had ever asked her such things. And it was not like she had even the time to think about it, by the way. Her life had never been easy, so she could not afford to purchase what she liked, because she almost never knew if there was going to be something to eat on the next day. She had, of course, things she liked and disliked, but nothing significant. Besides, it was not as if she ever had someone who cared about her enough to want to know about her life.

Her mother, she should expect, cared enough, and Lily knew she should get used to it, wanting it or not. But how to get used to someone else's affection, if she did not even know how to reciprocate such affection?

These were the learnings of day to day.

"Why is this relevant?" She couldn't help, however, the dry darkness of her heart.

In turn, Maleficent was kind, though her answer sounded exasperating, "Because you're my daughter...and at some point, I would have to know whatever you like to do or not. And I don't you to displease you as I prepare us dinner."

Lily's eyes widened, "You mean you cook?"

Maleficent shrugged, smiling modestly. "A knowledge that came as a result for potion-making. Do you?"

Lily snorted, "Only if I want to kill you. A miracle I didn't kill myself. But I wasn't in the place to complain. It was either cook to survive or die."

As soon the words left her mouth, she regretted them. Because her mother's eyes turned sad and it was clear the struggling, the hold she had to have on herself not to pull her child into an embrace. But that would be too soon, too easy to make her child uncomfortable and too scaring as to make her run away. It was not tiring to stay quiet, however, but painful to realize that her daughter never had anyone in her life.

What kinds of deprivations has Lily been through to neglect herself that way?

At that very moment, Maleficent felt the dragon in her heart roar for the heads of Snow White and her prince, the Evil Queen and the Dark One. Because of their selfishness, her daughter was alone for thirty years – Maleficent was not with her when she learned to talk, to walk, or when she became a woman. She was not there to teach her things like reading, dancing or even cooking. She could not tutor her to control her magic, to cast her first spell. She could never dress her in a blue gown, or to see her smile as she fell in love for the first time.

And from all these things, nothing hurt as much as the fact that a life of darkness had made her daughter suspicious of everything and everyone, a woman caught in a world of lies of which she was reluctant to leave, since she knew nothing else. Maleficent knew that her daughter would take months, years or perhaps decades to trust her, or even to call her 'mother'.

And it hurt more than a sword of truth stuck in her heart.

She knew she would have to be patient, but sometimes she just wanted to be able to hug her and say that she loved her more than anything in the world.

But one thing at a time.

"Eat now. You must be hungry." Her mother handed her the cup of coffee and Lily made great enforce to take her eyes from the sorceress and focus on her food. Murmuring 'thanks', she took the first bite, and then another and another. The first sandwich was finished in minutes and she headed to the other without a thought.

"I take you like it then?"

Lily hummed contently and was about to have a bite of the second sandwich when she caught a glance of her mother and guilt stuck her, making her stop.

"You didn't...get anything to yourself?" Or perhaps the second sandwich was hers?

But Maleficent simply shook her head, reaching out to put a lock of hair behind Lily's ear so nothing would disturb her - a simple gesture that made Lily feel like a child again, strangely becoming one of the best feelings she had ever felt in thirty years.

"Don't bother yourself with me. I've already feed myself. Now what matters is you. Enjoy your food, will you?"

Lily simply nodded as all tension disappeared from her muscles and she resumed her meal. Eventually, her mother raised from her chair and walked over to the window, either to watch out for danger or to give Lily some space, no one could really guess.

Food finished (or destroyed, you see), Lily took small sips of what seemed to be the best cup of coffee she had in years and a generous package of chips. In the end, she rested her back on the headboard and sighed in contentment. Her stomach was full and happy and she could rest in a warm bed all night long.

Could she ask for more?

"I see you are done."

Well, she definitely could.

"It's not like this all the times, is it?"

Her mother turned from the window and walked over to her, collecting the food packages and the already empty coffee cup and throwing them in a basket trash. Sitting back in the chair put to the edge of the bed, she said, "The hunger tends to decrease as you get used to your power. But it takes time."

Lily huffed, "Great."

Maleficent smiled in sympathy, "Don't worry. You did just fine. I'm certain it will not take long before you're flying above the clouds. It shall be incredible."

The passion of those words brought to light a truth that Lily had not noticed before: her mother had given up her freedom to be with her. She spent thirty years under the clock tower and certainly wanted to enjoy incredible things as flying above the clouds after so much time in confinement. Having to teach a grow-up woman the basics of flying sounded like a burden.

Again, Lily felt guilty.

"Look, you don't have to keep yourself from...from doing your things, y'know? I mean, you can go flying without me and all that stuff."

"I thank you for the concern, but my greatest desire is to fly by your side, Lily, when time comes. I wouldn't trade this moment for anything in the world."

Lily's face was graced with a frown, as if to tell her mother not to lie just to please her. Maleficent quickly noticed the presence of suspicion and tried to mend it, "I wouldn't lie to you, child." Maleficent's voice held so much conviction that it almost made Lily believe. "Trust me."

 _'I'll try. I just…need time.'_

"Won't you…rather sit here? In the bed, I mean. This chair looks pretty dull."

The smile her mother opened was brighter than the sun. Lily smiled back and made room in the bed. Maleficent chose to sat by the edge, a little closer to her daughter. They found themselves again in silence.

Maleficent was the brave enough to break it, "This place belongs to the same woman who owns the restaurant we…had breakfast earlier. Emma said we could stay here as long as we wanted." Lily rolled her eyes to the news - Emma hadn't changed one bit. "It will not be permanent, of course."

"It's fine." Lily paused to look around. "You packed my things down?"

Maleficent's eyes then shifted, again diverting to her joined hands – she was reluctant to speak.

"The Saviour had your belongings in the yellow car and I thought you wouldn't want them to stay there."

Lily sighed, "I never cared about that kind of thing, I just wanted to..." She cleared her throat. Why was she still talking? Her heart seemed to suffocate inside its own box of bones. "I wanted to find a way into town...and to find you. If I was lucky, that's it. So, thanks. For packing my things down, I mean."

Lily decided to save the day by telling the truth. Her mother was struggling with her own world. Maybe because she was too afraid that her darkness would ruin things.

But since there was no need to hurry, there was no need to fear either.

"You thought you wouldn't find me?"

Lily shifted in bed, putting one leg under the other. She should not worry, she knew. Her mother was alive, Snow White was not the queen, she was no more evil than normal, and Emma was not a prisoner.

"Lily?"

Could it be wrong to beg for a hug? She just wanted to make sure she was real.

"What's wrong? You can tell me." The sorceress' fingers held Lily's chin, so their eye contact would give some emphasis and meaning to her words, "I promise to listen."

But Lily kept her gaze away to avoid any further unwanted talking, even with her mother undoubtedly wishing to know everything about her.

She guessed it was what parents did.

"Lily, what happened?"

She didn't want to mess this up. And fighting didn't help, as the sorceress touched her cheek and wiped an unnoticed tear that had just fell, almost an act of no use, and Lily had to struggle not to break down. She was scared. She really didn't know how to keep this up. Maleficent could not find out why…until an idea arose amid thousands of thoughts.

"The Author…" Lily said nothing, eyes finding the window. "You remember of what he did?"

Of course. Magic is something that can be changed, but never destroyed. Dragon are magical creatures and so a dragon's memory cannot be erased. The worse the Author could do was to change their memories, but in the end, they would always remember anything that ever happened to them. Maleficent herself remembered of crying, shouting at the skies why life had to be so unfair.

"Do you wish to talk about it?"

Lily pretended indifference, "It's just flashes of...things – people, swords...fire and a tower. The un–Charmings were there too. Said they would help me if...if I kept Emma in the tower." She closed her eyes and cleaned her throat. There was an impulsive feeling of overprotection towards her mother. A voice was speaking again, telling her to fight – the first noble thought she ever had. "Guess they had you held prisoner. Like true heroes and liars, I think." But then again, she was her mother. Lily wanted to love her.

She just didn't know how.

"It's over now." Maleficent said soothingly. "The un-Charmings are never going to harm you again."

Lily smiled at that. Her mother was indeed different from anything she had imagined. It had always been easy to like 'Maleficent, the dragon'. She was powerful and didn't care about what others thought of her. She was a woman in her full element. When younger, Lily even had an old a drawing of Walt's Maleficent inside a secret pocket on her travel bag, to remember herself of her strange origins.

As to 'this' Maleficent, however…she was so different and yet the same. There was no black headdress, no yellow eyes, no pale–grey skin, but a powerful sorceress, blonde, tall, soft–spoken, beautiful and dark and she had saved plenty of room in her heart for a daughter. The dragon of her childhood stories wanted to know of her fears and desires.

Lily didn't know exactly what to feel. She was not alone any more. Her mother loved her and she did not want to hurt her. She swore to never make her cry again.

Which brought her to the morning of this very same day.

She took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry for what I said…what I said earlier. About you and…Them."

The silence that followed was confusing and Lily shuddered. If her mother was angry at her words, it would be no surprise. Lily always knew when to say the wrong thing and get people to hate her. The Mistress of All Evil would not be an exception just because she was her mother.

"You were upset. I understand."

No, that was not how things worked! She should be angry, not kind! Why did she have to be different and difficult from anyone Lily had ever knew? How could she be so polite after hearing such cruel words? How could she love her knowing there was so much evilness in her heart? She did not even look like a villain. Her eyes were so gentle, her words were so full of affection and her touch was warm, bringing Lily a peace she never thought as possible of reaching. And all this simply because she was her mother. For a love that was intense like a flame.

Lily looked away. To notice a small, silver dragon foot over a table beside the bed, she reached out for the object, and caressed the purple orb gently. Sadness devoured her heart, and all that what was left of her conscience. She still remembered the despair in her mother's eyes. The tears. She felt guilty for making her suffer. She knew that, as a villain Maleficent was used not to have what she wanted, to have those who loved taken from her arms, in knowing pain and suffering at maximum.

How could she have doubt? It was clear her mother had fought with everything she could. Lily didn't need more details. She wouldn't dare question her efforts ever again. Her mother was as much a victim as Lily herself, and even that revenge didn't come, Lily would do anything to make up for the lost time.

Because, well, Maleficent was her mother and Lily owed her this as much as she did it to herself.

"It didn't make sense to me." Her mind screamed in her ears. After so much work and a brief reconciliation, she had to screw it back to the issues discussed earlier. But that's what she did. She destroyed everything.

Maleficent, on the other hand, knew better where to start. She was not used in having to answer about her life to anyone. In older times, she would have mocked on anyone who dared to questions her methods. She would have cursed this person, or perhaps burned said person alive. Maybe she would have thrown said person from her highest tower. But Lily was her little girl, her confused and scared daughter. She surely must had heard of her mother as a powerful being. Why had she not managed to save her egg? Why had she not fought for her life?

"You were in their arms." It started in a whisper. Lily closed her eyes and listened, "If I hurt them it would mean hurting you and I couldn't..." She stopped to let out a sigh. "A villain cannot expect a hero to do wrong and yet...she did it. And I take full responsibility, for it is not right for a villain to be so foolish–"

"Don't call yourself like that."

Maleficent held her breath. Lily lowered her head. "You–" She snorted, annoyed with herself for her inability to keep a conversation. "I know how is like to be a villain. It was like that my whole life. No matter what I did, it was always the wrong decision and…it's not fair."

"It is not." Maleficent spoke softly, "But there is something in this world that gives us hope."

"There is?" Lily decided to look into her eyes, a clear attempt not to be so weak. What she found made the air from her lungs disappear.

A pair of bright eyes, blue as the sky, the sea and Lily's favourite ice cream flavour. They held the pain and passion that lasted decades, concern and the so acclaimed true love – exclusively dedicated to a child.

Such openness hurt because it was much more than what people had ever offered her. How to describe what that pair of eyes made her feel? She could only think of escaping, the anger against the royal family still burning incessantly, betraying her, filling her eyes with tears.

But Maleficent would never blame her, because she felt the same way, and to only imagine the horrors experienced by her daughter in these thirty years apart made her dragon blood lust for revenge. Years of living made wise and now she knew that revenge was nothing more than an empty act. Therefore, Maleficent would not allow darkness to consume her daughter. She did not want her daughter to be a villain. Villains do not have happy endings, Maleficent discovering this truth in the worst of ways.

And so, she would make of Lily the bravest of heroes.

"What is this…hope?" She heard her daughter ask.

And she answered:

"We have each other." She cupped the young woman's face and caressed her cheek. Lily tried to pull away, her eyes downcast as tears formed on them, but the heat was so cosy. She could not stand to flee any more. The darkness told her to. To rush out of there. It did not want to listen. It wanted her to get away, break their deal, cross the border and never return.

But fate is something that cannot be changed and love itself is far more powerful than the darkest darkness.

"But–" Lily choked, perhaps due the burning in her throat. She closed her eyes to feel a velvet glove grabbing her chin, and even tried to manage, "I don't–"

And failed.

For Maleficent had pulled her into a hug. Lily surrendered and put her arms around her mother, leaning against her warmth. She could feel the freshness of her hair. It reminded her of that oak forest in which she had once spent the night when younger. It had been one of the least poignant moments of her entire life – when she was under the stars and facing the cold night air, mitigated by a simple fire and an old blanket around her shoulders.

However, it was the memory of the nightmares, filled in fear and anger, which caused the tears to fall.

Lily held those tears for years. People continued to leave her, but her mind and pride kept claiming that no one deserved her laments. As the years passed by, she realized that those whose lives were ruined because of her deserved more than the stupid tears of a monster.

The loneliness memories, the nights alone in the cold, the people she had hurt…it all hit her like a thunderbolt. Lily knew she was trembling. She was afraid of being loved. Of being accepted. Her adoptive family had never made her feel like she was one of them. Not even once, no matter how much she tried to make them understand that she wanted to be their daughter. But she was not. She did not have the blood of a mortal in her veins. In fact, she always felt that, instead of blood, her heart pumped fire. Fire and darkness. It scared her then as it did now.

She was sure it would always be so.

The truth, cruel and unfair, came later. Lily did not try to fight it. Against everything others might think, her world began to make sense. After all, for years she tried to understand – why couldn't she do the right thing? The pain increased and fed the desire to know why her mother had left in the woods to die.

Then she knew – she had not been abandoned, but stolen – and she hated those who had caused her so much pain. She waited the bus to make a quick stop and fled into the woods. She found herself alone again. Sleeping under the stars was only a reflection of what her life had always been: in the distance, a light in the darkness, something she could never reach – a void that needed to be filled.

She had wanted revenge. To make her enemies pay for what they had done to her and to her mother. But love was stronger than the flames of the past and when mother and daughter finally meet, Lily felt a like she'd been slapped: to forget revenge and pain and think of a happy future? Definitely not what Lily had hoped. Perhaps cruelty would be easier to deal with, but a welcome hug and tears were unexpected.

The warmth of this woman…dragon…her mother, damn it, made Lily feel worthy of something that was not pain, distress or anger. For the first time in her desperate life, there was hope for a bright future and…Lily could hardly believe it!

Her eyes burned and her heart needed to be freed from the shackles of fate. She cried and cried in her mother's arms while gentle hands stroked her hair. Her mind was screaming. The soft fabric of her mother's purple shirt muffled her sobs, and her hands held unto her as if she were a lifeboat in the middle of a storm – nightmare of a life.

"I–I'm sorry...I–I'm so s-sorry–" She sobbed and buried her face in her mother's neck. The tears were back to the feeling of soft kisses against her hair.

" _My Lilith_ ," Maleficent held her against her chest and very slowly rocked her back and forth, back and forth. Heavy tears were wetting her cheeks. Her little girl…her baby was back and no darkness would take her away again. "It's going to be alright, my love. Mommy's here. She will always be here. Always. I promise you."

And Lily would never doubt of her words again. For if there was one thing she knew about villains, it was that they never broke their promises

* * *

 **A/N: Again, thanks for reading!**


	2. I know you

**A/N: Hey guys! I tried to fix some inconsistencies and plot holes. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

I know you (I walked with you once upon a dream)

"How much do you know? About what happened, I mean."

Maleficent was always the one to break their self—established silence.

"Everything. I've known for a while now."

Especially because she saw it brought great relief to her daughter, and because the hope shining in her eyes also made the sorceress feel hope.

"How?"

Lily was grateful for her kindness.

"A man...Merlin's apprentice, he told me about you."

Maleficent seemed to lose herself in the midst of deep thoughts, "I thought the Saviour was the one to tell you."

"No." Lily frowned for a moment, measuring her words, "But I would've believed if it had been her anyway. Emma wouldn't just...go find me in the middle of nowhere if it things weren't serious. If she says my Mom is in the _top 50 of the Best Animation Movie Characters_ , then it must be true."

There was a pause.

"Best character? How's that?"

Lily arched an eyebrow.

 _So, she's vain..._

"Uh...Yeah, I mean, you _are_ the _Mistress of All Evil_."

Not a title she didn't carry with pride anyway. Maleficent was never portrayed as someone who feared anyone or anything. She was anything but modest—except for that _crap of a movie_ where she was a lovely fairy that was betrayed by some stupid king, but Lily never took that story seriously. For although the Apprentice hadn't told her about her mother's past, he did tell her that her hatred for Briar Rose wasn't unmotivated, neither her curse was unjustified. Lily honestly didn't care about what the world thought of her mother. Maleficent was a queen of darkness, but Lily was as sure as the sky was blue that she wasn't futile. Everything she ever did had a _damn_ good reason. She was very patient. But one day, such patience was gone and she was forced to act.

Lily wouldn't judge her for it. She wasn't there for that.

"Is that how people call me in this world?" The _real_ Maleficent asked then, curious to know more of what this strange world thought of her.

"It's how you call yourself. Or how you were shown to call yourself. You kinda screamed that."

Maleficent was amused, "A _dragon bitch_ , wasn't I?"

Lily chuckled, "People like you for that, y'know?"

"They do?" Maleficent frowned. She wasn't used of having her doings appreciated. "But why?"

Lily's answer was based on her own opinions, "Cause you were always honest about who you were, of how powerful you can be. You just...did what you _damned_ pleased and _to hell_ with the rest. People respect that."

 _I_ _respect that._

Maleficent wasn't as convinced, "If you put it that way then the people in this world see me as a role model. Which villains are definitely not."

"And that's why they like you." Lily then quoted a phrase she once read on a nerdy site, "Cause you are _evil for evil's sake._ "

" _Oh._ " Maleficent's eyes widened slightly and it wasn't a second before a disappointed look took over her face.

Lily wanted to curse herself a million times. The darkness, in turn, laughed inside her head. Her mother's reaction had been so unusually painful that she couldn't tell if it was because she was sad at what the world thought of her or angry at herself. Maybe both.

"I'm not saying you are _that_ evil, I mean—" She tried to disperse it, but failed miserably. She looked down, feeling like an idiot for even having started this conversation.

" _Darkness_ and _happiness_ never walk together, Lily." Shyly, Lily looked up at her mother, and felt her heart ache to notice that her sadness hadn't faded yet. "Being a villain was merely a part of my life and although my evil doings did build who I am, if I'm happy today, it is because I have you with me, not because of any foolish revenge."

Lily couldn't help admitting, "I wouldn't mind if you were still evil."

 _And I would never ask you to change._

"You don't want to see me as I was before, Lily. Trust me on that." The young dragon was about to protest, but Maleficent gently interrupted her, "I'm aware you wish to. Which only reinforces what I just said—you don't wish to meet...the _old me_. Not because I'm ashamed of what I did, because I'm not. Neither do I regret anything. But _the Maleficent who created the Sleeping Curse_ wasn't patient nor good intentioned—she only knew pain and was lost on a world of unyielding darkness that consumed her whole. She wouldn't knew how to love you. There was no room for love in her life; no place for a child in her heart. _This_ Maleficent, however, is willing to try, if given the chance. But for that to happen, she must leave her _villainy days_ behind. She must start anew. _I_ must."

Lily merely stared at her mother.

What would the world think of one of Disney's greatest villains if they heard her now? She was so eager to change for the better. For good. For something greater than revenge—as if it was the only way to erase the guilt out of her heart. And her almost desperate eyes gave her away.

She wanted to be good for her daughter and for herself.

"You sure?"

Maleficent sighed. Her child clearly was not the kind of person that gave up easily. She wouldn't stop until she had a final argument—good or not.

"Villains don't have happy endings, Lily. We don't deserved it."

Realizing what she had just said, Maleficent instinctively diverted her eyes down to her own hands. Suddenly, she felt stupid for talking about her old days. Why would she do that? She didn't have any fond memories of it—it had been a very dark time of her life. Too sad to remember.

"Was it—" Lily watched intently as tears bathed her mother's eyes. Consequently, her own began to burn. "— _that_ bad?"

Maleficent sighed quietly, and her half smile bespoke a knowledge that seemed to transcend the pain of her eyes. She reached out, and touched Lily's face in a soft caress—a contrast to what had happened in the last few minutes, when Lily only needed a little of warmth to surrender, for now Maleficent needed something to assure herself that her daughter was there in her arms, that her past was gone and that now, if allowed, she would have her happy ending. Lily touched her hand, pressing it gently against her face, enjoying the contact, getting used to it. Her mother let out a long sigh, smiling, disregarding the sadness in her eyes. Lily wanted to smile, but she was as moved as her mother. She felt like crying again. Maleficent tried to speak, but a short laugh prevented her. Feeling foolish, she planted a kiss on her daughter's cheek and whispered in her ear, _"I love you so very much."_

Lily simply nodded, not trusting her own voice to form a plausible answer. She closed her eyes, snuggling into the warmth emanating from her mother, and rested her head on her shoulder. Her mother did the same, wrapping her arms around the girl and they stayed like this for a long time.

Outside, the moon reached the centre of the sky, and its light entered the room, illuminating every corner. Lily always sought answers in the moon and stars, a path to her future. When she looked out the window and saw the moon, she knew she had found what she had always wanted.

 _A place to call_ _home_ _._

"Can I show you something?"

Maleficent smiled brightly, "Anything."

Lily then pulled out her crescent moon necklace.

"When I got banished here, someone left me in an orphanage." She held her necklace against the moonlight so her mother could see it clearly, "This was with me. They thought it had fallen from your neck when you...abandoned me." And she was never so relieved to know that such suppositions were far away from the truth. "I was about ten when I found out I was adopted. I heard...James and Priscilla arguing about my adoption."

"And who are those?" Maleficent asked.

"The couple that adopted me." Lily answered.

 _Oh._

"I don't mind if you address them as _Father_ and _Mother_." Maleficent told Lily then, not wishing her to think that she would feel uncomfortable for her having, well, another family. She would always be grateful that they loved her daughter when she was not there to do it. If Lily loved them, if she saw them as her parents, as _Mom_ and _Dad_ , it was something Maleficent would have to learn to deal with, despise the little jealous of her heart. Because she wished it had been _her_ to see little Lily smiling for the first time, talking for the first time, walking for the first time, and so many things she missed. She had no idea what James and Priscilla Page would think of her if they were to meet one day. She hoped, however, that they could at least be civil to each other.

 _'Better think of a good human name.'_ Said a little voice inside her mind. _'_ _Maleficent_ _is not endearing.'_

"They're not my parents."

A frown graced Maleficent's face.

"No?"

Lily looked down at her own hands, sighing, "They raised me, but that's it."

Maleficent narrowed her eyes. Something was out of place.

"Were they... _unkind_ to you?"

Lily shrugged, diverting her eyes away to the window, "I wasn't the best daughter in the world, so I guess we're even." Because they lied that she was their biological daughter, and as soon as she learned the truth, she was really pissed off. But she wouldn't abandon them without money. She did break into their vault using three lock-pics and a small hammer, but no one needed to know that.

"I'm sorry."

Lily wished her mother would stop saying that.

"Ain't much to talk about, really. I found out I was adopted, so I left."

"And where did you go?"

"Back to the orphanage I came from. A woman—the cook—recognized me right away. 'Was returning home when she found me at the orphanage's door... _again_. Said my case was the strangest thing she'd ever seen, but was glad I found a family." Which was a lie. She had never been happy with the Pages. She was never happy with anyone. Maybe in her short time with Emma, but their friendship was lost and Lily had no hope of restoring it. Throughout her life, very few people were kind to her, and to them, she would always keep a special place in her heart. For others, she barked her anger, "I told her I wanted to find you, so she gave me the necklace."

Maleficent seemed confused, "I can't understand why she would keep it." She confessed.

Lily chuckled at her mother's sincerity. She liked that. "Got myself wondering the same thing. But Mrs Johnson always saw good in people, no matter what they did. She thought that something _really_ bad had happened for you to...give up on me. That maybe you just wanted to give me a best chance and an orphanage was the only way. But James and Priscilla didn't want me to find you, so they didn't want to keep anything that could link us. Mrs Johnson keep it, cause it wasn't uncommon for orphans to return there wanting for information about their biological parents, and so she thought it was only fair to do the same for me. If I ever wanted to find you, maybe the necklace could help."

Maleficent sounded really surprised and touched, "That was...very insightful of her. Very generous."

"Yes, it was." Lily sounded so unconvincing when she said that anyone would think she was lying.

"You didn't like her, did you?"

Her laugh was harsh this time, and it had the ring of truth that not even such a kind woman was spared from the dry darkness of her heart. "Everyone did. Great cook, great food. More like—" She didn't know how to continue, so she bit her lower lip, "Like an old aunt I've never had." The Pages were orphans like herself, so she didn't have any family beside them. "She also never lied. It was her who told me that my birthday was not on July 9, but on—"

 _"August 14, yes."_

All the attention devoted to history has turned to that date.

 _She knows?_

"How do you—"

"I found out by accident." Maleficent revealed. "I was packing down your things when I came across a...identification card? I think that's the name. I...I didn't know what it was. But it had your... _photo_ , yes? And so I guessed it was yours, although your name was different. The Saviour explained why."

" _Of course_ she did." Lily scoffed. She was clearly annoyed now. Emma had _nothing_ to do with her life anymore. She wasn't her right to tell anyone whatever Lily did or not.

"You don't have to explain me anything, Lily. Not if you are not ready to it."

Lily frowned. _Why does she has to be so...good?_ "I...got involved with some bad people and needed a fresh start." She felt compelled to explain herself, because her mother was kind and her interest was genuine—it held no venom, no evil intentions. She just wanted her child to feel good around her and that was more than Lily could ever had asked for.

"Sometimes we _do_ need a fresh start." Maleficent smiled in reassurance, and Lily felt she was actually talking about herself. "But please, keep telling me about your necklace, I fear I interrupted you."

Lily had to fight a smile, "The Apprentice confirmed it belonged to you." She continued with her story, "Said it matched the mark on my wrist."

 _"Mark?"_ In response to the woman's confusion, Lily folded one of her sleeves and there it was: a scar that looked like a star. Maleficent brushed the scar with her fingertips, "Did he explain the meaning of it?"

"Yeah. It's...kinda a reference to Merlin's hat."

Maleficent pondered the information for a second, "I remember Regina mentioned it. An item capable of absorbing and accumulating magic."

Lily nodded, "And each time that happens, it gets a new star. I'm...full of darkness. Emma's darkness. And this—" She stroked her birthmark. "—It's just a sign of what they did to me. Stars are a sign to dark magic. And my pendant—"

"A piece of your eggshell." A slight movement of her fingers and suddenly the pendant began to emanate a strong blue light. Lily had never seen such a beautiful light. "I would hardly not recognized it. Any self—respectful sorceress knows a bit about potion—making. In my case, a lot more. A dragon's eggshell can be used as an ingredient for a wide variety of potions. There is powerful magic in them. As for _this—_ " She touched the pendant. "—it contains your magic, and it can be used to locate you, if necessary, or even me. Your eggshell contains your blood, which is also mine. You're my daughter, after all."

An idea flashed inside Lily's head and she wondered if she should ask her mother about a little _something_ she's been trying to figure out for years, as not even Apprentice himself could answer her.

Maybe this was the perfect time.

"Can I use it to find my father, too?"

There was a second of silence until Maleficent visibly _tensed_. Lily swallowed as blasphemies screamed inside her head. Maybe it was too soon to ask about the other half of the equation. Her mother's reaction didn't help either, opening up the possibility for something really bad. It raised doubts. Did she really want to know who her father was and what he did? Or maybe what he failed to do. No love? Probably. Lily knew she was the opposite of Emma, the Anti—Saviour, the fruit of a love that probably hadn't been true. It was very likely her father didn't even know of her existence, and if he did, he didn't want anything to do with her. After all, her mother was alone in the cave when she was attacked by the royal duo of idiots.

Lily's mind was holding in its own reasoning. Her heart ached and her pride condemned her.

What happened to her father that make him leave? Not to choose protecting his family? Not to want knowing about his _own blood?_

"Your father..." This was certainly _not_ a conversation that Maleficent wanted to have so soon, but it was understandable that her daughter wanted to know about her origins. And as her mother, Maleficent knew she owed her this truth. "Yes, I suppose so. You have his blood as well."

Lily watched as her mother lowered her head, hands tightening and loosening. She was nervous and clearly uncomfortable.

"Look, we don't need—"

" _No, no, no,_ Lily." The sorceress touched her child's arm and smiled softly, "You can ask me anything. You have _the right_ to ask me anything. We are a family and I don't want to waste time worrying whenever is appropriate making questions or not. If you want to know about your father, I'll answer. I just—"

 _"Don't know where to start?"_

Maleficent shook her head, and Lily sighed, not knowing whether to insist. She stared at her crescent moon pendant for a long time before removing it from her neck. "What about a name?" She suggested. Maleficent noticed the expectant gaze she was giving her and found herself defeated.

Well, that was going to be awkward.

"I don't know his name."

Time stopped. Then...

 _"What?"_

"I don't know his name." Maleficent repeated and waited for a reaction.

But Lily was still. Or at least, her body was. Her mind was like mad.

 _What the hell?_

It wasn't possible. Her mother was a dragon, which was pretty crazy. But Lily knew she shouldn't expect any coherence in her life.

 _"Damn."_ She thought aloud, but now it was too late to turn back. Anger, fuelled by immense fear, found a narrow path into her heart, and her blood boiled in the frustration of the unknown.

The darkness took advantage of that, of course, and it took little time for her eyes to start glowing many shades of gold.

"Did he... _force_ you?"

In contrast, her voice sounded frightened.

"No!" Maleficent exclaimed, causing Lily to jump. Soon her eyes regained their original colour and she blinked a few times to relieve the burning sensation in her irises. That was when she felt a hand touching her shoulder, as if to emphasize the truth. "I can assure you...that it was consensual."

Lily felt as if a huge weight left her shoulders, though the anger was yet to disappear. To be the result of violence would be the worst of all nightmares. However, in order to understand what her mother meant, she knew she needed more courage than fear.

God, did she really want to talk about that sort of thing?

"What _the hell_ happened then?" The darkness was talking now and she couldn't control it. "What, you were in such a hurry that you didn't even bother to ask or—"

 _"Lilith."_

The moment that Maleficent's face changed, all kindness and loving glances were replaced by a cold, censoring glare, almost daring the girl to continue. Lily closed her mouth immediately.

There stood before her, the Mistress of All Evil people feared so much.

 _"Don't."_

Inside her mind, Lily called herself a hypocrite. She was no one to judge anyone's decisions. God, she had just told her mother could do whatever she wanted with her life—even if it meant sleeping with men she had just met in a tavern. Still, it seemed so unlikely that a woman of her class and pride would choose a random man to be the father of her baby. The oldest form of independent reproduction, probably.

In any case, it was almost unbearable to be subject to such a cold look.

"I didn't—" She felt like she was choking and almost panicking. She felt like a child being rebuked after mocking someone, and this was certainly the worst feeling in her life. "I didn't mean you—"

"You better." Her mother used her authority for the first time, though she didn't seem comfortable with herself. Neither was Lily. But Maleficent knew that no cruelty lived within her child's heart, but foreign darkness. She couldn't be blamed for this, but she had to learn how to control her anger. That's why Maleficent scolded her. So that she would learn thinking before speaking, even if in her situation it was something so challenging. But she had to confess: she felt guilty and knew it would not take a minute to forgive and forget what her daughter had just said.

 _Oh bloody hell_ , she thought to herself. _I've forgiven her before she said anything._

"I suppose it's not easy to understand," she said then, trying to soften the tension around them.

Lily swallowed, "No, but I—"

"Listen to me, only."

Lily nodded and continued to look down, embarrassed.

Maleficent sighed heavily. Being a mother was not easy.

"I'm not a dragon by nature." She began after a pause: "Which means I was not born with my abilities. However, I am a dragon as much as you are and _the way of the dragon_ , which are our traditions, applies to me as well. And in order to...reproduce, I had to find myself a mate. My _twin flame_."

And no, she had not tried aimlessly. She knew enough of magic and her own nature to understand that the searching among men would not result in a baby, but diseases—even if she said to be immune to most of them.

 _"Twin flame?"_

The first time Lily heard the term was on a religious service she was forced to attend with her...with the Page family. But were dragons religious? Did fairy-tale characters even know what this was? Lily was raised in a religious family, but she never followed such faith with her heart. She later tried to knows others, different in name and rules, but when none of them could fill the void in her chest, the girl gave up.

She simply didn't expect her mother to follow such beliefs.

"Like in Spiritism?"

Maleficent hesitated, "I...I'm afraid I don't know what that means."

Lily pursed her lips, "Right. So, uh...your twin flame?"

Maleficent nodded, "Yes. A _twin flame_ is a piece of a happy ending. Dragons are born destined to find their own—which needn't necessarily to be another dragon. Your father was a remarkable one."

 _Was?_ Lily felt a cold shiver run through the edges of her body, "So he...he is not—"

"I cannot tell. We..." Words didn't come to her easily this time, and her voice trailed off as the sight of flaming, piercing eyes flashed before her memories in a distant thought. A lonely sigh left her lips in the middle of a confession: "We parted ways before you were born."

"Just like that?" The darkness was asking, taking the sadness that threatened to turn into tears and sobs.

So her twin flame—the father of her child—had left her?

 _"_ _Why?"_

Had they fought over something? Or she sent him away, anything was possible. Dragons were passionate—Lily knew it herself; a cut in her hand was enough to awaken the rage of the dragon speaking in her head. Her mother would not be any different, even though she was centuries ahead of her. She clearly loved her mate still, so his departure hadn't been on good terms—she wished he hadn't left.

 _Why did he then?_

"Dragons have isolated lives." Maleficent, however, did not fail to notice her child's confused thoughts, and so she explained how things worked for their kind. "Apart from that, there is mating. A female must find a mate, which will father all the children she shall bear throughout her life, and then, after the nuptial flight, they take different paths, but the male is always allowed to visit his female as many times as necessary."

"But he didn't." Lily concluded rather too quickly.

Maleficent shook her head, "Yes, he did. Almost too many times, I'm afraid. He was so...so worried. He didn't want me to be alone. Dragon's eggshells are quite valuable, for its magic can stop people from ageing. Which makes a female dragon an easy target for hunters and—" Her voice failed her as her worst memory flash back behind her eyes, which she instantly closed. "I'm _so_ sorry I—"

"It wasn't your fault." Lily said, gathering some courage to grab her hand. Maleficent's eyes opened in a shot at the sudden contact and as she lowered her gaze, surprised at the sight of their joined hands, a grin grace her lips. She looked like a child on a Christmas morning. Her happiness was so pure, so innocent, her enthusiasm was so contagious that Lily found herself smiling as well.

And then, she was chuckling.

"...what?" Maleficent eyed her child with a fond smile.

Lily simply shook her head, not wanting to ruin the moment.

"So, uh..." She cleaned her throat, "Dad wasn't with you."

Maleficent tilted her head to the new word, but mentioned nothing about it.

"He wasn't." She answered then. "But he could visit me. We kept in touch through letters, and he...used to send me gifts through his men, from perfumes to dresses, even jewellery. Sometimes food and the finest mead. For you, it was the same thing. Your baby rattle was also a gift."

 _Oh?_

Lily glanced at the little silver thing wrapped in her hand. Her lips became startlingly dry and any walls preventing her from reasoning, from giving in, were put down to waste. It seemed that her heart was crushed by her ribs and the air was missing in her chest.

 _Damn it._

So he cared.

In a crazy, draconian way, lonely but loving at the same time, living miles away in another realm, without even knowing the name of the mother of his daughter.

 _Why?_

Due ancient traditions that Lily couldn't understand.

Lily didn't know why she awaited for a simpler tale. Life itself was complex. The extravagance of _her_ origins was fascinating and she felt like laughing before such fantasy and surrealism, and yet, so much sense.

For there was no other explanation for what happened.

It was a _dragon thing_.

 _Period._

"There was also a foal—" Maleficent paused as she began to laugh at what appeared to be a distant and good memory. "A black unicorn." She corrected herself. "It was a gift for your birth, and it was so small—it didn't reach up to my waist, like those smaller breeds, but your father assured me that it would grow to become the black stallion it was born to be. It was a lovely being. It was a male, so I named it _Diablo._ "

 _Of course._

The information settled in her brain and Lily opened her mouth many times, but nothing was said because she found herself unable to even breathe.

 _How_ could he know? How could he have predicted that she would grow to love horses too? That for her, horses were the most beautiful creatures in the world? At Halloween, she always dressed like a cowgirl. If not, she would dress like some villain to scare the other kids and steal their candy. When she got older, she practically begged her father to pay for riding lessons. She proved to be so good that she even won racing competitions! She would have become a horse tamer if had she finished her studies without so many red flags in her school record. It was the dream of a girl who was forgotten behind many others as her life grew more obscure and lonely. It was not something she liked to remember, though her life had not been filled with fond memories.

It was also no good noticing the extent of what was taken from her. Because, in the end, she could not help but wonder how _wonderful_ her life should have been, how _peaceful_ and lively her childhood could have been—with her mother teaching her everything she knew and how her father cared for nothing bad to happen to them. She did not want to think about what would have been riding the most beautiful stallion of all. It was too painful. The more she knew her origins, the more she realized how fate had been unfair to her. Because she would've been so happy had her parents raised her. Because she would've been educated and trained to be the best dragon in all realms. Because she would've been a hero, who knows? With her powers, she could have helped many people.

She wanted to have the chance to do it.

But luck was never on her side.

Which was bad enough already.

"You think it could be here? In Storybrooke?" There was a small flame of hope, faint and almost to fade, but perhaps not all was lost.

Maleficent, however, had to be realistic.

"I don't know if it survived the Dark Curse, or if even was sent here with us, but we can search if you want."

"Yes, please." Her sudden enthusiasm was passionate, and Maleficent looked at her suspiciously, not understanding why her daughter was so eager to find her unicorn. Children certainly loved pets, but Lily was no longer a child.

"I like horses," Lily explained at the curious look of her mother.

Maleficent smiled then, pleased to learn more about her daughter. "Is that so?"

The young dragon seemed ashamed to admit it out loud, so she nodded in silence.

"Your father also did," said Maleficent suddenly. "He's always been keen to make that clear."

"But why would a dragon need a horse?" She understood that a unicorn was a pet to a child, not a dragon.

Maleficent laughed lightly, "Dragons have their possessions, taking our nature, and we take great care of everything we fancy. I owned a fortress and extensive gardens. Your father owned his lands, his men and his horses. According to his culture, horses could be more valuable than gold. Owning a good breed was synonymous of great respect among the people. Your father followed these traditions because it made easier for the people to trust him."

"And...he told you _all this_ , but not his name?" Lily couldn't understand.

Maleficent wouldn't blame her, "I know _all this_ because it's what dragons do, Lily. We're aware of our nature—that it scares people. Some dragons prefer them to fear us, others choose to fight for their respect."

"So he wasn't a villain?" That would shorten her list by half, at least.

Maleficent made a face. How to make her understand?

"I don't know. I never saw him in human form."

Lily's eyes widened.

Oh, _damn_ , all this time her mother was talking about her mate's dragon form?! She probably saw no difference between one form or another. She had been a dragon for most of her life, so it was all the same to her.

"Seriously?"

Maleficent shrugged, "That's _the way of the dragon_ , Lily. One day you will understand, when you fall in love."

Lily scoffed at the mere thought, and her cheeks burned bright red.

To Maleficent, it was rather amusing. She saw her younger self in her child—so insecure, so full of pride and anger, so willing to fight for what she wanted. But Maleficent could only find true happiness when she allowed herself to love.

And she loved her mate. She missed him— _everything_ about him. His presence, the warmth of his eyes, his strength, his magic. He was her beloved one, the flame inside her heart. A creature of rather intimidating appearance, with several central horns sitting atop its head, just above its large, warped ears while large teeth poking out from the side of its mouth—a preview of the terror hiding inside. He carried himself with pride and stood illustrious and mighty against his enemies. But what she loved the most was his giant obsidian wings enveloping her much smaller body at night.

She missed his passion as well. She missed it all. She wanted him back, to be with her, to meet their child, to rebuild their broken family.

Describing how he made her feel wasn't difficult. However, no word could encompass such a persistent and tenacious emotion. It had been as intense as it had been simple. One may called it mate connection. In short, they understood each other. She fell in love with his pride and sense of honour. He fought bravely against an army to gain her favour. She had been wary of him at first, not out of fear, but doubt—was he worthy of her, of being the father of her young? Would they be as strong as him and as cunning as herself?

Lily definitely was. She was the living proof of the powerful bond between her parents, though she would never understand the depth of what they felt for each other.

She didn't have to, nor did she want to.

It would be a trauma for a life time.

"You think..." Lily frowned as many possibilities unfolded in her mind. "Do you think Dad could be here, too?"

Maleficent felt her heart warm at Lily's acknowledgement of her family bonds. Perhaps, in a time not too far away, she would also be _Mom_.

 _Hopefully._

"Dragons have a strong connection with their family. But the wall around the city blocks any magic from outside. If the wall didn't exist, I would've know you were alive and well. The same can be said about your father—when a dragon's mate dies, the other will feel their bond break immediately. If he was here, then I would've felt it."

"So he it not." Lily concluded dryly.

How _great_.

"The curse probably didn't reach him in time. He can literally be anywhere in the Enchanted Forest. He may not even—"

She didn't finish it. Wasn't brave to. She didn't even want to think about it.

Lily felt a sense of dread run down her spine.

 _Damn it._

"So my necklace is useless?"

"I wouldn't call it that way. Perhaps there is a way to track him down. Just...not using common methods. When it comes to dragons, magic is never so simple."

 _Right._

"We need to find him." I mean, really. If her father was an innocent, if he cared for his family as much as it looked like, then Lily wanted to meet him. She _had_ to meet him. She had to find him, so then her family would be complete, so then her mother would have her mate by her side and so her happy ending would be finally more than an impossible dream.

But first, she needed help.

"You...you want to find him?"

Her mother's surprise made Lily confused, "You don't?"

 _Wasn't he her mate?_

"I do, but...that might take not only a few days...perhaps weeks. Months! Are you...are you willing to stay for so long?"

"He's my father." Lily stated simply. To her, it was obvious. "And you miss him."

Maleficent felt a light blush colour her usual pale cheeks, "We don't know what might had become of him, Lily. The truth might...not be kind. It never is. I've ready myself to upcoming...bad news but you—"

"I'm not made of porcelain. I won't break."

Maleficent let out a sigh, "I envy you on that."

The way Lily's eyes widened in realization reminded Maleficent of her childhood, when reading fairy tales while singing and dancing in circles; a time where she had found the white unicorn whose magic would give her a glimpse of her mate, the father of her child. Lily was their hatchling and Maleficent was so sure her mate would've been very proud of her. Her eyes, like his, even under the mere light of a lamp, gleamed shades of hazel, an eternal reminder of any forbidden feelings the dragon of dark scales had placed upon her heart. He had left her the greatest gift she could have ever asked of him—to expect them to live _happily ever after_ , however, it would be to hope too much for a woman at her age. The _way of the dragon_ was harsh and unkind and one cannot expect much more than one single night of magic.

Walking away from him was the hardest thing she ever did. She had felt so linked to his magic that she was ready and willing to take on any feat of life, so long as she had her mate by her side. With him, she felt secure and protected. Regardless of anything, he always made her her feel save—as she had a guardian by her side. Later, when sleeping under his wings at the feel of his low purring against her ear, she couldn't imagine her life without him.

Yet, there were the traditions. One day they parted ways, and he promised her to return, to help her raising their young. And although her mind didn't want to believe him, her heart did and it pained her that her mate hadn't been able to reach her in time, before the Dark Curse, before the loss of their baby.

As the Evil Queen had her trapped in her dungeons—a punishment for whatever she did against her— _ending her own life_ became an option. Easier would be if she had actually done it, and it was cowardly of her to have even considered it, Regina would've said. The Mistress of All Evil would never give into the pain of loss and suffering and _suicide_ became an unthinkable word in her vocabulary, and at the same time, Maleficent saw such desperate attitude as the most likely of possibilities. For without her family, she was nothing.

And Maleficent hated being useless.

As she did now.

"Do you—" Lily's voice was trembling and her eyes were down, trying not to break, to recollect any useful questions, "Do you know where he... _came from?_ It might help on tracking him down. Everyone knows everyone here."

But she didn't, as he had been the one to find her in the Enchanted Forest, not otherwise, and she made it clear by letting her child know this through one uncomfortable silent response and sad eyes.

Lily pursed her lips, annoyed at herself. "Right." Frowning, she put her necklace around her neck. Her mind worked miraculous plans. It was the least she could do for her mother and for herself.

 _For_ _my_ _family._

"I'll have to talk to Emma. She can help. That's what she does."

" _But—"_

The young woman didn't let her mother finish as she pulled away and raised from the bed, walking to the door and out to room.

Maleficent was by her side in a second and grabbed her arm gently, "Wait, please."

Lily turned and frowned at her mother. Maleficent felt all complacency and hope from their previous hours together turn into worry and anxiousness. Shame and regret enveloped her mind and soul and she could only cast her eyes always, unable to face her child any longer.

"I'm sorry."

But Lily wasn't mad at her. She was just anxious. Also, she was tired of being defeated by fate. If her mission was to find her father, then so it be.

"Don't wait up."

Maleficent didn't have time to protest as Lily had already took off down the corridor in firm steps. She was on a mission and nothing would prevent her from accomplishing her destiny.

And, of course, not even her mother would stop her from asking her father to kill the Evil Queen and the un—Charmings for messing up with their lives.

He owned her this one.

 _He sure did._

* * *

 **A/N: There is more about this dragon thing than Maleficent let it show. More answers in the next chapters. Anyway, thanks for reading!**


	3. Into the Woods

**A/N: This is the kind of chapter that comes out after you spent five hours straight writing non-stop and when you realise, it is 21 pages long and you have to spend a couple of days editing it because it's so long that you can't even guess where to start, so I REALLY hope you enjoy it.**

 **lauburu: Thanks for reviewing! Alduin! Oh, I just love Skyrim! It is my favourite game of all! I have to say - it is not him, but I really enjoyed the idea! lol Keep reading! Lily's dad will show up soon enough and yes, you will be surprised.**

* * *

 _Into the Woods_

"Um...Hello?"

 _There was a good smell surrounding the halls..._

If anyone ever told Lily that she would end up living in a fairy like town amidst the woods of Maine, she would have call them _mad_.

But to think it was _her home_ , she found no words.

She was under completely ecstasy.

 _In all began at Granny's Dinner..._

After a woman stormed in, gasping and saying that her husband's heart was dying, Emma and her un-Charming family followed her, hurried to solve the problem. Suddenly, the people in the restaurant were agitated, and began to murmur. Some even left, worried and frightened.

Lily, however, watched their behaviour quietly. She had no idea what was happening, but she knew it was an imminent danger.

 _"And here we go again."_ Lily turned and saw the owner of the place—Granny Lucas—mutter a curse and sigh, "Just hope it doesn't end in tragedy this time."

Lily waited for the old woman to approach the counter to ask, "Do you know what this is about?"

Granny was picking up the leftovers from former customers when she replied, "The same old problem. And he _never_ seems to learn."

Lily tilted her head to the side, "And he's...?"

"The one who caused all this," Granny waved her right hand in circles, indicating the world around her, "The one behind the curse that brought everyone here."

Lily frowned, "So they're worried...about the Dark One?" It didn't make sense. Wasn't he the monster that _screwed up_ every single story he was in?

"About whatever his death may cause." Granny explained. "Everything about him is not good, except for his wife, of course."

"Wife?" Lily was sceptical. _"_ You mean that girl?"

"The name is Belle." Granny began to clean the counter with a damp cloth, "Too sweet for her own good. Sees something in people that no one actually can see. If she loves the Beast, then he must have a good side. And if he's in danger, she'll do what she must to save him."

"Isn't his death that will turn him into a prince?" At least in the movie, that was what happened anyway.

Granny chuckled, shaking her head, "Don't base yourself on this _land without magic_ tales. Things are either black or white here, but we know the truth. Heroes may be villains if given the chance, and the same can be said about villains that turn out to be very good people if allowed. Your mother is one of them."

Lily snorted, "Yeah, I know."

Granny raised an eyebrow, watching the young dragon with amusement. This girl reminded her of her once rebellious grandchild. They would certainly be good friends if Ruby was still around.

"You don't like that she isn't a villain anymore, do you?"

Lily's breathing trembled and the darkness in her heart took over her reasoning, "It's her life, not mine."

"True enough. But she cares deeply about you, Lily. It is _Lily_ , isn't?"

" _Lilith._ Like the demon." She never got why James and Priscilla chose such name, but taking she was the daughter of the _Mistress of All Evil_ , it actually fit her. " _Lily_ is just a nickname."

"Care to hear a secret? _Granny_ is one as well." As Lily stared at her without saying anything, Granny sighed and returned to her work, trying to act casually: "You'll like here. Not as bad as it looks. Very...magic adept. I heard you can turn into a dragon. Your parents must be very proud."

"My mother is. My father…I haven't found him yet."

"You haven't?" Granny asked automatically, though she knew she sounded too curious.

Lily didn't seem to mind, "That's why I'm staying." She told Granny. "My mother and him...lost each other. Because of the curse."

"Oh." Granny felt her heart squeeze in empathy. "He'll show up, don't worry. News spread fast here. It's not every day we see a dragon flying around the city. If he comes here, you'll be the first to know. I promise."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Welcome to Storybrooke, Lily." Granny said with a smile, and Lily returned it softly, though her lack of social skills was evidently painful. Granny internally wished she could do more for this young woman. So many things were taken from her already, that she couldn't help but feel sorry. She was about to offer her a free drink when she overheard the little bell pinned to the door and saw someone approaching. She was back to work and said, _"And here she comes."_

Lily turned, curious and confused, only to face a very worried dragon.

 _"Oh, thank the gods!"_

Lily immediately raised from her chair, fearing that something terrible had happened to make her mother look so worried.

"Hey, what-?"

But Maleficent didn't even give her enough time to think and quickly pulled her into an intimate embrace. Lily tensed – she wasn't used to displays of affection coming of nowhere, and although she couldn't understand why her mother was doing this, she wouldn't deny that it felt good to hug her, to know that she wouldn't push her away. So, as in acknowledging to the sudden kindness, she wrapped her own arms around her mother and rested her head on her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Maleficent pulled away and cupped her face, eyes searching for any injuries and scars.

 _"We were just talking."_ The pair of dragons turned to Granny. She nodded at Maleficent, and smiled. "She's turned out to be a fine young woman. Congratulations."

Maleficent, against any expectation, smiled proudly. "I wish she would believe when I say so." She looked back to her child and touched her hair, combing it gently, and smiled fondly at her.

Lily swallowed, feeling suddenly self-aware.

"You..." She licked her lips, trying to come up with a question, "You heard of what happened? About the Dark One?"

"Yes, I did." Maleficent's face turned serious. "And I need you to come with me."

"Where?"

"I can't tell you." Lily tried to question her but Maleficent was quick in adding, "I'll answer any questions...later. I promise, but please, trust me on that?"

Lily eyed her mother suspiciously. She was acting so strange, something obviously had happened. She sure wasn't understanding a thing, but nodded slowly, willing to give it a shot, "Okay."

Maleficent offered her a small smile and with a wave of her hand, a dark purple smoke surrounded them. Before Lily could even protest, she found herself standing in some flat region replete with various pines, shrubs, dried leaves and old tree trunks. The sea was not so far yet the smell of salt was evident. The temperature was a little cool and the sky was mostly clear and filed with countless stars.

"Lily?"

The young dragon turned to her mother, who was looking at her, expectant.

"Follow me."

Soon mother and daughter were walking deep into the forest. Maleficent did not look sideways – she obviously knew where she was going. For Lily, everything looked the same: the same trees, the same pines, the same icy wind, the same moonlight.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

" _Trust me_." Maleficent repeated; not even stopping to look at her child.

Lily had no choice but to obey.

They walked for more one minute until Lily could see a yellow light in the distant. It came from an old wooden hut, surrounded by a death garden and a starving stream. The decoration, limited to the few wooden furniture, was corroded by termites. There were death leaves everywhere and it was suddenly so depressing that Lily felt like running away.

When they were about a few meters from the old hut, Maleficent stopped and turned to her daughter, "Wait here."

Lily said nothing, for lack of time, and perhaps courage. To be honest, her mother wouldn't even have heard her. Her face expressed pure concentration and self control. She approached the old hut in firm steps, and then began to look around, as in watching for danger, searching for something or someone. Naturally, she found nothing, and distanced herself from the hut. Then, she raised her right hand and charged it with a dark purple fire. Taking a deep breathe, she threw a fire ball towards the old hut. A quick white light shrouded the hut then, disappearing as quickly as her spell was repelled.

It was when Lily understood.

 _A magic shield..._

Her mother was trying to protect them!

 _But why? And from who?_

"What's going on?"

Maleficent's silence unmasked her hard posture and she seemed to ponder on her words, to be gathering wisdom and bravery. She needed to be cautious, yet straight to the point.

"Rumpelstiltskin is dying." She said and turned to see her daughter approaching her.

Lily stopped by her side, and gazed at the old hut for a moment, "Isn't this a good thing?" She asked.

Maleficent frowned, "When he comes to be the Dark One, then no. His evil deeds have made his heart unable to beat any longer. It will not last. I fear that, once free, the powerful source of Rumpelstiltskin's dark magic will look for another host."

"You mean _me_." Lily was not offended. She knew the Saviour's darkness were attractive to anyone with thirst for power.

"I fear for you." Maleficent confessed softly.

Lily raised an eyebrow, "I don't see how panicking would've solved anything."

Maleficent made a face, already regretting her outburst, "I cannot stand idly by such threat. Neither take any risks. I've set wards around this cottage—strong enough to keep the Dark One's magic from tracking me."

Lily blinked, surprised, _"_ What? Why do you mean?"

Maleficent took a deep breath. That wasn't going to be easy. "Darkness is attractive. And once the Dark One finishes Rumpelstiltskin, I know that it will try to find another host. I'm certain it will be _me_. I am the one called the _Mistress of All Evil_ , am I not?"

"But you said you aren't like that anymore." To the comment, Maleficent's eyes then changed and were casted down, holding great regret. Lily was left without words and a curse flashed back inside her mind. She felt stupid. She shouldn't bring on her mother's past deeds. Maleficent certainly wouldn't do it for hers. "Not like I have nothing to do with whatever you do with your life. I mean-"

"You are part of my life, Lily. The most significant one. That's why I need-" Her eyes found the old hut again in explicit determination. "-to protect you."

"From _you_?" Lily found the idea rather ridiculous.

"I'd never harm you willingly, Lily." Her breathing trembled for a moment, but she quickly recomposed herself and continued, "But darkness is dangerous. I can't say that my darkness won't influence you towards evilness and unhappy endings if the Dark One corrupts my heart."

"But I'm not a child." Lily said stubbornly. She couldn't believe in what she was hearing. "I can take care of myself."

"That's _not_ the point!" Maleficent snapped, taking Lily off guard. The young dragon watched her mother with wide eyes—she had lost her patience. "I'll never stop loving you and the Dark One will use this weakness to archive its own interests."

Lily's darkness spoke in her mind, "I'm your _weakness_ now?"

Maleficent ignored the remark, "If possessed by darkness, all that I will think about is revenge and nothing more will remain on me but a distorted and evil love. And you will be the first victim."

"But Emma promised–!"

"Her promises will cease once her family is threatened." Maleficent reasoned. "For this will be the first thing I will do when time comes. And the Saviour will have no choice but to kill me. I _won't_ have you caught in the battlefield. I'm your mother. It is my duty to give you your best chance. I'm not asking you to approve on my methods, but I'll never regret any sacrifices if it means you will be safe. I love you. I can't lose you again."

As emotion took over her heart, Lily didn't even hesitate, "Me neither." and her breathing hitched, for she couldn't fight back, wasn't brave enough to it, would never be eloquent to. It was becoming too tiresome, too. The air was missing and her heart was beating, sore and rushed. At the feeling of hands cupping her face and lips being pressed against her forehead, she sighed.

"You won't lose me."

Nodding, Lily took a deep breath and balanced her weight from one leg to the other, and stared at dry leaves below her feet. She knew her mother would destroy the world if it meant to save her. Their relationship meant everything to her and for Lily not to be save and sound was unthinkable and any pain to prevent that would be fair. She didn't know why she still doubted.

"Trust me." Maleficent said. "Nothing will happen as long we head inside."

 _Inside?_

"On a hut?" Lily didn't want to sound ungrateful, but that hut looked pretty damaged. How was anyone supposed to live in there?

Maleficent smiled, at last. "It's better than it looks, I promise."

Frowning, Lily followed her mother toward the old hut. She stopped to literally feel the magic shield protecting the place.

"What's this?" She asked.

"Blood magic. So only those who share my blood would be able to break through it."

Maleficent's didactic explanation did not help much. Lily stood still and stared at the old hut with apprehension and mistrust. The sorceress understood that her daughter was still too inexperienced when it comes to magic, and it would take time for her to get used to it. Maleficent must do anything to make her feel comfortable.

"Trust me." She reached out for her child, "Come."

Lily shared her gaze between the old hut and that pair of blue eyes watching her patiently.

 _Fine._

Her mother then started walking and Lily felt like a child again, walking through the unknown while someone literally guided her by the hand. As they were about to cross the magic shield, Lily closed her eyes in an instinct, awaiting for the impact, the repulsion. But crossing the magic shield turned out to be the most insignificant of today's surprises. It was different, not unpleasant. Yet, Lily could literally feel the magic run through her veins, a test to see if she was the daughter of who she said she was, despise sufficient proof.

In the end, the Apprentice hasn't lied at all.

 _I am Maleficent's child._

"Open your eyes."

Lily peered through her left eye and once she focused on what was standing before her, she blinked a few times to make sure she was not dreaming.

Suddenly, her concept of this whole new world changed for good.

And she _just_ couldn't give it enough credit.

Hidden by a magic shield, in the middle of the woods, there was a _not_ so old cottage. From the outside, it looked very elegant. The building itself was square shaped, made of grey stones and oak wood decorations. Wide windows added an overall look to the house in a very asymmetric way. The roof was high and slanted to one side and was covered with overlapping roof tiles. Two small chimneys poked out the centre of the roof as a few large windows let in just enough light to the rooms below the roof. A modest garden surrounded everything. Small little statuettes were hidden near bushes, purple flowers, pink, yellow, and blue perennials and lots of variations of flora that drapes, shades, hides and flatters. Even a small fountain was buried in the greenery so anyone could hear the softness of a babbling brook. A separate glass made building was on the background, a greenhouse, and just a few steps away, there was a creek with a little bridge that lead to a gazebo.

It was like living a dark fairy tale.

 _Damn._

"Seriously?" The question came out in a lonely breathe.

Maleficent's anxious state was obvious, but it didn't stop her from smiling, "Cruella found this cottage a few days back, on those foolish nights wandering around and plotting for revenge. Took some magic to fully restore it and I was as surprised as you at how it ended. What do you think? Do you like it?"

If she liked it? It was incredible, amazing, stunning...utterly unbelievable and yet, it was real. So freaking real it made her heart ache. It was home. It felt like home. How would she not love it?

The darkness in her heart laughed as the cold wind hit on her hair.

 _Too perfect to be true._

"We're living here?"

"If you want." Maleficent said. "But first, let's head inside. It's getting colder by the second and I don't want you to get ill. Also, you must find yourself a better coat. This clothing won't keep you any warm."

Lily frowned as she realised she was being scolded by her mother. And she didn't mind. Not at all. It was good to know that someone cared. "I have to get my things on Granny's then." Maleficent looked like she had been caught in the act and Lily offered her a pointed look, "You already did that." Maleficent's eyes were apologetic. She definitely wasn't skilled in explaining herself. Lily sighed, "I'm not mad." There wasn't a name for whatever she was feeling right now. "Never mind."

"No, Lily. It was wrong of me to push my choices over you. Please, forgive me."

"It's fine." Lily half smiled. She couldn't get angry at her mother for the 'hideous crime' of caring for her child's well-being. "So...we go in?"

Maleficent grinned, "After you."

As they headed inside, Lily almost collapsed to see how large it actually was. The living room was bigger than her old apartment! Not like that was hard to achieve, anyway, but still. It had beamed ceilings, a stone fireplace, and a spiral staircase. The furniture was made of dark wood; the curtains, of soft and white silk; and the floor and the walls were cold to the bare touch, but the incessant flame in the fireplace prevented Lily from trembling. It was all very strange and too familiar, like returning to a home that she never knew of having.

Then it hit her.

 _You_ _are_ _home, you idiot._

"Would you like to see your room?"

The surprises didn't end, "My _what?"_

"Your room." Maleficent's smile was sincere and true and kind. "You are more than welcome to stay, Lily. For as long you decide to stay in Storybrooke, I mean." Lily noticed that her mother refused to mention their 'one-week agreement' - she was trying to be optimist. "This is your house too. Come, let me show you."

Maleficent, happy and hopeful, grabbed Lily's hand and headed upstairs to the second floor, to a room which the centre of the roof was made of glass and so it seemed that the sky could be touched.

"Everything in here is yours, though you are free to personalize it as you see fit."

An easy grin didn't have to fight too hard to spread across Lily's face. Her eyes searched the room she was in and her mind couldn't stop thinking:

 _"Clean white walls, a twin bed...No more nights waking up on the floor having my back hurting all day. Good. A desk with a blank blotter on it, sliding closets opposite the bed, and thin green shag carpet. Why green? Thought dragons preferred red. A bookcase—and, of course, a fireplace. Is that a coat of arms? One, two, three, four...dragons? Am I a Targaryen now? Where is Jon Snow? He's hot! A wardrobe? Narnia? Not going to visit the White Queen today. I don't even have enough clothes to fill this thing up. Got to buy more. Ugh, no job, need to find one. Maybe Granny needs a waitress? If she trusts me enough. Maybe a compulsory spell? Gr, Lily, you're not Harry Potter! Besides, the Mistress of All Evil is an old softie. She won't be teaching me spells anytime soon. Flying lessons first. Is that why so many old books? Is that how I should call her, anyway?_ _Maleficent_ _? Nah, she won't like that. But what then?"_

The young dragon looked back at her mother instantly and the wish of her heart was to be smart enough to express her gratitude in words and gestures. But her brain wouldn't even form a coherent phrase. How could she? No one had never cared for her. Would she ever be worthy of love? How could a villain be worthy of anything? Lily knew she was part of her mother's happy ending and did not want to disappoint her at all. Yet her first impulse at any signs of kindness and unconditional love was to run away! She felt her self-control slipping, escaping from her hands like sand. Like living a distant memory, where she dreamed of the day she would return home, to the realm of where she came from, and never again heard about a _land without magic_. She longed for it even more now that she literally felt the fire burning in her lungs. But she did not want to be deceived any longer, not even wanted her mother to be, because the disappointment would be far more than anything she could bear.

She felt her cheeks burn. Why should she be ashamed of anything? That was her mother, for God's sake. A mother that was actually willing to listen to her. She couldn't screw this up. She needed to control herself. She noticed the bed, _her_ bed, inviting and mysterious. She gave two steps closer and sat down on it, staring down at her on feet. What she didn't realize though is that her silence slowly brought her mother into a state of uncertainty.

Maleficent was panicking.

It hadn't been part of her plan to _impose_ anything. She just wanted to stay close to her child for as long as she could, because the future was unknown – she would either have seven days or an eternity to share with her. She didn't want to waste any time.

She approached the young woman, who still had her gaze down, as if trying to hide her face. Gathering courage, Maleficent sat beside her by the bed and waited. Lily wouldn't look at her; she didn't even seem to have noticed their sudden proximity. She seemed lost on her own world. In fact, she felt like pushing something out of frustration.

"It is too much, isn't?"

Lily frowned, but didn't move. _She is blaming herself…Great. Why can't I talk to her? She's my mother! The mother I waited an entire life to meet! I can't screw this up!_

"I, um…"

Now, that was it.

"I don't…I mean, it's…I wasn't expecting it, that's all. You didn't have to, y'know?" Her mother visibly winced at that and Lily sighed, covering her face with her hands. "I don't even know if I'm staying. I don't even know how to call you, I just…I don't know."

Maleficent's lips parted and she couldn't quite think of an immediate answer. A whirlwind of emotions stormed into her heart. _Love_ is a rational feeling but it does purse us toward irrational actions and decisions that wouldn't make sense.

Obvious would be her answer – _call me Dragon, Monster, Beast, whatever you wish but_ _please, stay_ _._ But she would never impose such wish upon her daughter. Losing the living fruit of a love that had been short, passionate and true, was her greatest fear.

"You may call me _Maleficent_." She said then and waited for Lily to react.

But no words were spoken. Lily didn't want to anger her mother just because of a stupid name. She had waited a life to have someone to call _Mom_ , but somehow, thinking of _'how is like to be a daughter'_ was easier than actually _'acting like one'_ and she was terrified of messing things up and pushing her mother away. Only now she understood the possibilities, the risk, simply by looking into her mother's eyes.

"I've waited years to find you, Lily." Maleficent said softly, "I would wait an eternity for whenever you think you're ready to address me as _Mother_."

Lily clenched her teeth, trying to coil herself more and more. She couldn't reason, she only feared everything and everyone – the black figure that would appear at the edge of her window, looking for a soul to devour. "But if I can't–"

"Then you may call me _Mal_. Even villains have nicknames."

Maleficent watched Lily closely, in the attempt to decipher mannerisms and features. She could practically hear the turmoil inside her daughter's mind. It was not something to be judge upon, given the difficult life the young woman had. But dragons were made of magic, fire, blood, and emotions. When conflict come into play, the reaction is usually exaggerated, uncommon, a plea for some peace. Maleficent could do nothing but try to calm her child down with kisses and the warmth of her arms. If she accepted them, of course.

"My love..." Lily looked up in a shot. The doubt, fear and joy of hearing those words, all written in her eyes, brought tears to Maleficent's eyes and she had to held on herself not to cry openly. Lily closed her eyes to feel of two hands touching her arms, and lips pressed against her forehead. That old feeling of longing was slowly fading away, being replaced by joy and serenity and Lily smiled, wrapping her arms around her mother.

"Don't worry." Maleficent sighed then, overjoyed to have her child hugging her. "I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

Days passed smoothly after Lily's first day-night in Storybrooke.

With the news of Emma sacrificing herself for the Evil Queen, Lily wondered if Emma's darkness would be affected somehow.

She pitied her friend, though, for she had no experience when dealing with darkness. She wished she could help, but her mother certainly wouldn't allow her – and she had already enough problems facing the _royal duo of idiots._ Plus, it was not like the would accept her help. Most likely would think she would lead Emma towards the dark side and Lily also had enough of their prejudice.

Maleficent herself had no shame in expressing her amusement at the _irony_ – she held no anger towards the Saviour, despise their fight a few years back, but she would never forgive Snow White and her prince, so to see them facing what she almost did was priceless.

As to Lily, since she had no means to help her friend, she decided to bond with her mother. On most of their time together, they spent hours and hours studying magic.

Maleficent was proud, perhaps _too proud_ , to see her daughter's interest. Magic was something that demanded patience and dedication, and although Lily was totally temperamental and easily frustrated – just as Maleficent once was when she was young – she did not give up easily. Her determination was admirable, and Maleficent couldn't have asked for a better daughter.

Of course, it did help that the young woman was very curious. Her self-confidence grew stronger on the first few days of training, and realizing that she had mastered her flying skills quickly, she soon wanted to know more and more.

In plain English - she wanted to learn how to breathe fire and ice.

"Each dragon lung is filled with different elements – fire and ice. The first is easily controlled; the second requires special training – and extreme self-control."

Lily watched her mother with attention. Maleficent sometimes had hold a smile because she feared that Lily would not take the training seriously if she showed that her heart was actually melting. She was not opposed to her child's interest for knowledge – on the contrary, she encouraged it – but everything had its time, and no one can learn to read and write on the same day. First, Lily should master the basics, and then develop her special gifts.

Lily, annoyed at the prospect of not being ready yet, had to question almost everything she said.

Maleficent would smirk at such imprudence.

 _That's_ _my_ _little girl._

"How long you took to learn how to breathe ice?" Lily asked.

"My case was a high-risk situation. I needed to defend myself against hunters. I was very young and my dragon form was not yet imposing. It happened in my early years of training."

"But did you get to do it later?"

Maleficent nodded, "Yes, but much later. The Dragon taught me to master my left lung." She touched her own chest, "But it varies from dragon to dragon. The Dragon himself never managed to wake his lung of ice."

Lily frowned, "So what authority did he have to teach you anything?"

Maleficent gave her child a disapproving look and tapped her forehead twice as a form of rebuke. Lily closed her eyes and grimaced, though the taps hadn't hurt at all, " _Because_ he was my tutor." Her mother told her. "And because he was older; it was a matter of respect. The teachings were the same, only the element had changed."

Lily stared at her with curiosity and little restrained anxiety, "And when are you going to teach me?"

Maleficent couldn't hold back a laugh, "First you need to learn the basics. Have patience."

* * *

When Lily wasn't training her flying skills nor thinking of trying a new spell on any unfortunate soul, she focused on her search of knowing more about her father's location. She had already asked half town if they ever heard something about dragons or powerful wizards that could turn into dragons, but none of them seemed interested in helping her – the child of Maleficent. Annoyed at their arrogance, Lily went to the Public Library, because everyone in there came from a book. Perhaps a book was going to help her.

It was when she met Belle French-Gold, the former Dark One's wife.

Belle was gentle and caring. Lily was so disappointed with the people of that place that she actually buried herself in a cold corner of the library. One can imagine her surprise when Belle not only greeted her with a sincere smile, but how also filled her with questions, sincerely wanting to help her.

Well, it was not as if Belle could judge anyone. She was the Dark One's wife. She could be friends with the God of the Underworld himself if allowed. Lily was a little taken aback when Belle offered to guide her into a hidden section in the library, a small, but oddly clean and well organized spot where some infamous books were stored, but she was glad for the help anyway.

"Here you go." Belle smiled. "Feel free to explore."

Lily nodded, "Thanks." She looked around and allowed her eyes to travel through the shelves. The titles were diverse: _"The White Unicorn", "Ogres and Trolls", "A Guide to Fairies", "Cursed by the Full Moon", "The Element Encyclopaedia of Magical Creatures," and "Killing Vampires"._

"You have plenty of different themes here." She randomly commented.

"Oh, I have seen more." Belle said. "The library at Rumple's castle was bigger than the clock's tower. I used to get lost."

"Got any books about dragons?"

Belle pursed her lips, thinking. "I remember seeing two or three books about it. Suppose Regina didn't want us to know much about the one who was guarding her biggest secret."

 _"Right."_ Lily grunted. She wouldn't forgive the Evil Queen so soon, if she ever. "Can you get those book for me? I mean, if that's okay."

Belle smiled, "Of course. Please, wait here. I guess I have them stored…somewhere."

Lily smiled sideways as the brunette quickly disappeared through the door. Turning her attention to the various books on her desk, she decided to start by an alphabetical order.

 _Methodical as always_ , complained the darkness inside her head.

Lily ignored it and stacked the other books on the right side of the table, when she noticed a much smaller book, made of the leather of some exotic animal.

The other books were forgotten for the moment as Lily picked up the little book. She turned it from one side to the other, watched it, and even smelled it. The little book was wrapped with a very thick woollen cord, and the pages were yellow and old. Belle must have taken the book unwillingly, it was something so insignificant it did not even deserve to be noticed. But Lily was curious, and decided to read the book.

The first page read:

 _This journal belongs to Hugo Lewinsky: adventurer, apprentice and lover of the most magnificent creatures of all: dragons._

A student? Maybe he could tell her something. Lily passed a few pages, quick eyes searching for any significant words. Then it hit her—a page that dated the first day of spring.

She raised an eyebrow at the title:

 _ATTRACTION_

 _In my travels, I found dragons, as all sensible creatures do, to have very tasty dreams of inadvertently creating offspring. Their urges usually bring them together—family unit in the best way possible._

 _Male dragons look for certain qualities, as do females. Most may think that males look for beauty, as well cared scales and the most powerful wings, but it's really a search for the best dragoness possible to physically bear and nurture young ones. Females look for a good provider, responsible enough to make them, and their future children, happy._

 _There are thousands of courtship rituals amongst dragon society. Some are short, some last weeks, some involve three words: "I want you". Some require dance, some require song, and some require displays of bravery. Usually, all of them work, depending on the culture of the dragon that is targeted._

 _Dragons 'do it' the way almost every other living thing does it. Later, they dance around, when fire and ice involves their glowing bodies. The seed is them passed, in hopes of contacting with a healthy womb._

 _Conception is just as one might think – the male seed enters the female's tubes, where they meet her eggs, and impregnate them. Females usually produce multiple eggs at once, which is why they have litters. When one egg is, it could mean several reasons. Most of the involve insecurity. Sometimes the male may force the female into the dance, which may create a trauma – either the female may not produce eggs from their dance, or a weak offspring may come out. In this case, the female is expected to abandon the eggs. When the ritual is concessional, however, and only one egg comes, it might mean a trauma due the premature death of the male – usually defending the female, who is a target to hunters. This is because dragon eggs held great magic and so they are valuable in the dark market._

 _Anyway, if a few months after the dragoness becomes pregnant, she will begin to grow as the eggs do. Once the eggs have a hard enough shell—this usually won't be until over half of the time between gender and hatching—the male (if alive) and his female find a place, dark and cold, to lay the eggs. The average western dragon takes about four months' pregnancy, and three months in eggs before it is born unto the world._

 _It is quite fascinating..._

"So...that's why you are an only child?" Belle concluded then, after reading the little book herself. Lily leaned back against her chair. She felt tired. "Was you father-?"

"A dragon? Yeah. But he didn't die." _I hope._ "Dragons live alone and so he would visit my Mom from time to time. but he didn't get in time to save her from that _two idiots."_ As Belle didn't flinch at the mention of Snow and Charming, Lily continued, "She couldn't find him because the Evil Queen trapped her, so she wouldn't escape the curse."

"Oh." Belle's face fell and her eyes held a mixture of shame for her husband's doings and sympathy over the victim's of the curse. "I...I'm sorry. Do you...hm, that's why you are here. To find him?"

Lily sighed, and pulled her necklace out, "This is a piece of my eggshell. I can use it to track him down. But funny thing: tracking spells don't work out with dragons and not even my mother knows _how_ they work. So that's why I need to find a spell book about dragons magic. Of anything related. Honestly, anything is useful."

Belle smiled then, "We better get started then. We have plenty of books to read." Belle placed three heavy books on the table Lily was using. "Where shall we go first? _Dragons and Rituals_ or… _A Guide to Dragon's Language?_ I didn't know dragons had a specific language." She opened the book and tried reading it. She frowned. "Hm, I suppose that not a new language. It's Latin. You see?"

Lily perked on the book's first page and her eyes widened as she realized that she could understand everything.

 _Well, that's a thing._

* * *

When Lily returned _home_ —as ultimately alien this concept was to her—the smell of whatever was being made in the kitchen hit her nostrils, and she was almost too immediately curious.

Maleficent could learn literally anything _very_ quickly, and taking that she was as curious _as hell—_ and now knew how to use internet—it wasn't uncommon for Lily to find her at the kitchen trying out a _land without magic recipe_ , or growing a special plant on her gardens to use as seasoning. Maleficent always knew how to improve things, and the wonderful smell around the house told Lily that her mother had something special in mind, maybe an event to celebrate or a _dragon tradition_ to follow.

Winter was at door, so their main menu was mostly restricted to strong stews, home-made bread, roasted meat, wine and some fruit pie as dessert. Lily couldn't complain, and she didn't dare to, as her mother's food was the best she had ever tasted in her life. She also knew she had gained a little weight in few days. While her mother said that she was ever more beautiful than ever, it costed Lily to believe her, as she never had cared for her looks – or that's what she keeps telling herself.

Either way, Lily could definitely adapt herself to that new condition of life.

She followed the faint light coming from the living room, noticing that a special light was coming from the fireplace. When she found the source of the smell, Lily was faced with the dinner room, one modest fireplace, smaller tables, chairs and candles. At the middle of the room, a dining table properly set and served – and also lit by golden candles. Over the table there were pots made of pure silver, keeping fruits of many kinds, including apples and peaches and then baked bread. In a large brass dish, the roasted part of an unknown animal, decorated with evergreen, bay, rosemary and holly, served with sweet potato, a robust apple sauce and mustard. Cooked vegetables bubbled into a pan, while small pots kept spices such as pepper, salt and chopped garlic. Jars filled with water and wine joined the meal.

Lily literally felt her mouth water. She approached the table slowly, afraid that might have some kind of magic, and inhaled some air. She smiled to see small cupcakes, orderly put inside a golden bowl. Her mother had told her of how much she liked sweets and Lily loved them too. She wanted to eat one but knew it would be rude to eat without her mother there.

But hadn't her mother said this was her home too, thus she could do whatever she wanted?

And heavens, wasn't she hungry?

 _Yes._

Lily gave in and took one of the cupcakes, giving it a hungry bite, only to be surprised to taste honey, secretly serving as coverage, sweet and completely delicious.

 _"Good evening."_

Lily jumped, dropping the cupcake instinctively, and turned. Her mother was standing by the kitchen door, wiping her hands in…an apron? Under it she wore a black shirt and a short social skirt toned in purple, and no tie was there to join her outfit, giving her a domestic look. Lily also could not understand this fact – she didn't see herself as particularly pretty to have such an elegant woman as her mother. Maleficent disagreed, of course, because from the moment she saw Lily, she said she thought there was no more beautiful woman.

She was too kind for her own good, especially with eyes shining with amusement as they were now.

"How long have you been there?" Lily asked abruptly.

Maleficent chuckled, "Not for long, I assure you."

"You didn't–" Lily paused and sighed deeply. It would be better if she stopped talking. And her silence hurt. Understandably, the discomfort to a situation that was so unusual and foreign. Maleficent felt a deep sense of sympathy filling her chest, and tried to think of something to clean the air, until she noticed the small nut pie in the floor and smiled: "It has been such a long time since I baked one of these. Does it taste good? I was afraid you would find my taste…well, too sweet."

Lily's shoulders visibly relaxed with the change of subject. She looked at the dining table, and frowned when darkness spoke in her head. The smell was becoming more sinful each passing second, "That's a lot of food." She blurted out without thinking. Guilt ate away her insides when she saw a blush take over her mother's cheeks, "I'm not complaining, it's just...You just…You don't have to…To cook for me, y'know?"

Maleficent did not contain the urge to roll her eyes. Sighing, she took off her apron, walked over to her daughter and stopped to watch the table already set, one hand resting on her hip.

"I have not hunted down a wild boar for us to just look at it, have I?"

 _Oh...a wild boar._

"Hungry?"

Mother and daughter sat facing each other. Maleficent took a sharp knife and cut the boar meat into thin slices, placing them in a wooden pan. Then she took a jar and poured what appeared to be mustard jus all over the meat. After that, she served her daughter and then herself with the meat, roasted sweet potatoes with the skin on, vegetables stew, along a strong broth of tomatoes and several unknown spices. To drink, they had water and red wine.

Nodding her thanks, Lily took knife and fork in hands, sliced the meat – which was what took more space on her plate – and had one first and hungry bite.

It was a unique experience. The fire in her lungs rose up to her throat into her mouth, burning the flesh on her tongue. Lily had to close her eyes in full ecstasy, revealing in the strong flavour – with a light touch of nuts, probably due in part to the animal's diet, natural in grasses and nuts and forage.

But magical powers aside, it was so delicious that it made her moan instinctively...It was one of the best things she ever tasted, if there ever had been any! It was amazing! The meat was perfectly cooked and it carried a spicy seasoning – which it did not surprise her one bit; her mother seemed to be those people who worshipped pepper. And it was one of the things they had in common, Lily noted. She also loved pepper.

 _If I had place to sell this for a good price and some extra beer, I'd get rich in less than a month!_ Lily thought. And she was right. She _so_ could see herself easily getting used to this new life – and no doubt, to the extra weight that she would surely win tonight.

While Lily found great fun in discovering the flavours of a dragon's dinner, she was completely unaware that she was being watched. And let's not blame Maleficent for not being able to contain an amused grin. She took great pride in being able to feed her offspring with _dragon food_ the first time in thirty years.

With a happy sigh, she drank of her wine before taking a bite of her own meal. She had to also close her eyes for a moment. It has indeed been such a long time. "Hm. As marvellous as I remembered." This caught Lily's attention, who glanced up at her mother, although she couldn't stop biting on her food. "It is not so difficult to hunt, but certainly annoying to find. I wanted to introduce you to one of my favourite ways of the dragon: hunting."

Lily soon found herself eager to learn hunting techniques. To eat what you hunted down with your own hands (or claws) should be another unique experience. She then tasted a few sweet potatoes that accompanied the meat. The combination of flavours had been intelligently chosen.

After finishing her meat and stew, Lily felt her throat dry out a bit. She remembered her glass of wine and once the red wine made contact with her tongue, Lily felt like the sweetest fruits of the world were combined in one single liquid.

 _This is magic!_

"For your smile, I can tell it is up to your liking."

"Where did you get it?" Lily asked curiously.

"I found a rare vendor in town. Very helpful, especially when it comes to finding a good wine for a good price." Maleficent smiled and went back to eating. "So tell me: where have you been all day? That note wasn't an explanation."

Another scold. Lily could get used to that. "Yeah, about that…Sorry. Didn't want to, uh…Worry you. I was at the Public Library."

"Oh? Found anything interesting? A spell-book, perhaps?"

Lily gulped, "No, I was...I was looking for any clues about…about my father."

Maleficent's face fell a little, "Oh." She frowned, "And did you?"

Lily looked disappointed, "Just a few books about magical creatures and rituals and...us. Dragons, I mean. I didn't know we could speak Latin."

 _"Luceat lux vestra."_ The meanings of the words echoed through Lily's mind and she smiled. "May I ask who is the Author of this little book? An adventurer, I suppose, dragons do not write about themselves. It would be suicide to make known our secrets."

Lily raised an eyebrow, "You mean there is more?"

Maleficent nodded, "Of course. Do you have this book with you? So I call tell which is the truth or not." Lily smiled easily and made a motion to raise from her chair, but Maleficent touched her arm gently and made her sit down. " _After_ you eat."

Lily gave in and was back to her meal.

"Did you hear anything about the Saviour?" Maleficent asked then.

Lily's demeanour suddenly became frustrated. She was not pleased with the news about her friend. "Nothing yet. I don't get it why _in hell_ she would offer herself to the Dark One. Wanting to save the Evil Queen sounds stupid," And it disgusted her, "Does she really think she can handle it? Emma is too good. She won't know how to deal it. _I_ would."

"No, you wouldn't."

Lily frowned, "How do you-?"

"You wouldn't, Lily. Neither would I. Darkness is alive, just like is Light. And even the Saviour herself having a family and friends willing to help her, this new Dark Swan will feel threatened and so, that's why the dagger's magic took her to another realm, far away from here."

"So anyone wouldn't interfere." Lily mumbled. She didn't like where all this was going on. "And what this dagger is going to do with her now?"

"Take control over what is left of her: mind and soul. If she is as strong as she appears, she will become a powerful being."

"And if not?"

"Then we'll have to face her, because she'll try to find a way to 'pursue' us all of her 'good intentions', which are none, I'm afraid. Dark Ones see their evil deeds as a distortion. They can't truly understand that it isn't moral to hurt someone if such pain brings what they want the most."

Lily asked, "Which is?"

And Maleficent responded, "Power."

* * *

Dinner came down to the heat provided by the burning fireplace, the delicious flavours of the dining table, and the comforting silence between the two dragonesses. Later, they proceeded on cleaning the kitchen and the dining room. Enchanted Forest or real world, a household chores remained the same and Maleficent didn't seem to have found it difficult to adapt herself to stainless metal taps and an automatic oven. Still, she used her magic or asked Lily how to use such an appliance.

Lily was happy to help her.

"Can you put this one on the top shelf, please?" Maleficent had a cooking pot in hands. Lily nodded and opened the cupboard. She was surprised to see several types of plants in there, all set inside glass pots. She discreetly looked at her mother, who seemed distracted with the cutlery.

"The harvesting was kind on this morning."

Lily smirked, discredited at her mother's perception. She turned and closed the cupboard's door, opening the one on the left.

"Need help?" She asked later, noting that her mother had already wasted too much time washing dishes.

Maleficent smiled gratefully, "Thank you. It's been a while since I've had this...routine, so to speak."

"But you can use magic."

"Yes, but you will soon notice that when you have magic, the less you will use it, after all-"

" _All magic comes with a price._ " Lily quoted. "But even to wash dishes?"

Maleficent laughed, "Not exactly, but you cannot be dependent on magic, it can make you impatient and lazy. Everything must have its balance." She closed the tap and handed Lily a dry cloth, indicating in what she would help. "If not, either end is capable of overpowering us, and that, especially when it comes to dragons, is a problem."

"Because we are unstable?"

"Indeed." Maleficent waved her hand and a spell of bright colour came out of nowhere, and the wet dishes and cutlery were dried up and stored in their respective places almost instantly.

Lily stared at her mother in disbelief and Maleficent smirked at her, taking the plate from her hands and placing some small-honey pies on it.

"Shall we?"

They sat by the fireplace, cushions on all sides. Of the small honey pies, only two were left, Lily having devoured most of them without even realizing it. The conversation came and went by surprisingly naturally, and to Lily, it was a bit scary how simple it seemed to be becoming her relationship with her mother. Some would say that it was the power of blood, others that their similarities were to blame, and a few would say that it was a dragon thing.

Lily honestly didn't care. If she was apprehensive to say what she shouldn't, of messing up? Yes, but she was happy to have someone to talk to. And she was glad that it was her mother.

"Here, you see?" Maleficent handed Lily the silver dragon brooch that was always embedded in the left side of her chest. Lily arched an eyebrow at the figure of a dragon covered in diamonds. "Each dragon has its own emblem. Some prefer gold, other cooper, many love jewellery, and so is goes. This was a gift from the Dragon when I fully became, well, a dragon. I always did have a deep connection with magic. Dragons are the harbingers of power. They totally fascinated me. So, I decided to become one."

"But you couldn't do it alone…" Lily tried not to sound so curious. Those pies did something to her.

"I tried, I confess. But when I realized that not even my aunts, as much they claimed otherwise, could teach me what I wanted to learn, I chose to leave the Enchanted Forest. My aunts weren't pleased, of course, that I chose to go away instead of staying with them. Still, it was necessary as I needed and wanted training immediately."

"Your aunts? So you didn't-?"

"Unfortunately, I never met my parents. They died before I could even speak. So, I was raised by the women who found me, women I later called _aunts_."

"Are they here as well?" Lily asked. Now that she knew that her family was bigger than she ever thought, her heart was stabbed by that old feeling of longing and she didn't ignore it this time. She wanted to meet these…aunts. They seemed nice enough. "Maybe there is a way to find them."

Her mother didn't look so sure. "Perhaps. I can't tell. My Sleeping Curse affected Prince Philip's kingdom, making it strangely invulnerable to Regina's Dark Curse. I doubt my aunts were dragged here as I was by Regina herself. I neither saw nor felt any sings of them amount the other fairies. But taking how they were…presented to this world, I wouldn't see them as nuns as the other fairies are."

"Fairies?" Lily frowned. "You were raised by fairies?"

"Why, yes, I was." Maleficent smiled. "That's why they couldn't follow me on my journey to China. They couldn't simply abandon their duties. They had a forest to protect, thousands of creatures that needed their guidance and protection."

"Were they queens of some sort?"

"Guardians of the forest. At their best, they watched for the most vulnerable and cared for the lands. I couldn't ask them to leave it all behind just to accompany me in my journey. Honestly, it was for the best – had they come with me, I wouldn't have become a dragon."

Lily smirked softly, "Because they wouldn't have let you?"

Maleficent looked pleased by her daughter's insight, "Because they wouldn't have let me." She chuckled at herself. "Well, at least, they would have tried to change my mind…By bewitching me… _Again_."

Lily did not know if she should feel either angry or confused by that. " _Why_ would they do that?" She asked.

"Fairies are emotionally unstable. One cannot expect them to act rationally when faced with something they wished not to happen. Upon knowing I aimed to become a dragon, Aunt Merriweather did not settle for such idea and tried to bewitch me – a compulsion spell that would give me into abandon my journey to China. Aunt Flora talked her out of it, not because of the spell itself, but because she had a better plan into making me stay with them. When they started arguing, however, I overheard them and fled. Aunt Fauna was the one to find me, and to ask if I would be happy if I left. I said I was certain and she helped me. Three days after my arrival in China, I received a letter from her, telling that she and her sisters missed me, but wished me well – followed by a discreet apologize. I haven't encountered them many times after my training ended, so…you can imagine how much time has passed since the last time we faced each other. I...even planned on visiting them after you were born. They would have spoiled you to no ends."

"Well, can't we–?" Lily stopped and an idea crossed her mind in a second as her brain picked the pieces together…and all was left for Lily was to look at her mother in perplexity, "Wait, _Flora, Fauna and Merriweather_ are your aunts? _Seriously?_ "

Maleficent, taken off guard by her child's suspicion, had her face filled with confusion, followed then by a shy affirmative nod, and it was Lily's turn to be surprised, _"You've got to be kidding."_ She murmured to herself.

Maleficent frowned, "Is there a problem?"

Lily shook her head, "It's just…it had to be them, right? I mean, I knew the Author had messed up with your story, but not _that_ much."

"You mean the Author named Walt? The one who told strange tales about me being a fairy?"

Lily nodded, "He also said that your aunts raised Princess Aurora."

Maleficent actually paused to analyse what has been said to her to then, finally, purse her lips into a pout – and Lily had already taken that as a sign she was annoyed. But could anyone blame the dragon-sorceress? She had overheard of the tales told by the man named Walt. While her defeat had been quite accurate – along with the fairies' betrayal – the reasons for her curse had not, and the new stories of her and King Stefan being former lovers had left her more than annoyed. Cruella, the one to actually present her to the latest version of her tale, had laughed at the irony. Ursula, more discreet as she was, had made a point of how her fairy version looked almost too much alike herself – especially the lips. Their babbling stopped when a Queen of Darkness (Maleficent could not remember which because she was too drunk to anything) questioned the dragon-sorceress if the raven-servant from this last version was actually the father of the child she had lost, and if, by chance, she planned on finding him. If not for Regina who grabbed her arm and stopped her fire spell, Cruella and Ursula would have ended up death. Maleficent then backed up and walked away to a hidden spot into the woods, to openly cry for the loss of her child. But to look into Lily's hazel eyes, so much a reminder of that mysterious dragon of dark scales, Maleficent could tell she had been more than worth the wait and every single tear.

"I can guarantee that is all lies." She told Lily then. "It's a shame in how they are written in the tales of this _Land Without Magic._ They weren't stupid nor incompetent. They were wonderful to me and to others. Aunt Flora was kind and wise; Aunt Merriweather sure was stubborn, but funny and an excellent cook; and Aunt Fauna wanted to make sure I had the best education. How could this…author named Walt tell people otherwise? And I don't have wings. Being a _dragon bitch_ sounds quite better, thank you very much."

Lily couldn't help laughing heartily, honestly, "If you say so."

Maleficent's eyes turned gentle in a way that could make anyone smile. "You make a fine dragon."

"You already said that."

"And I'm going to repeat it as many is necessary so you'd believe me." She touched her child's face and smiled. "I couldn't be more proud of my little girl."

Lily protested, "I'm not–"

"Don't spoil the moment, child. Must I remind you that I'm your mother? You'll always be a baby to me."

Lily rolled her eyes, but was smiling all the way long.

She was already used to this kind of life.

* * *

 **A/N: Can you believe that I had NO IDEA of what to write next? Maybe something regarding the Dark Swan. Would she try to make of Lily an ally? Would Maleficent allow it? And where is Lily's dad** ** **? You going to find out soon enough.** See ya!**


	4. Cold as Blood - Part I

**A/N: I'm back! (sighs) well, I didn't die. Almost. I hope you all can forgive me for the delay.**

 **Now, about this fic... (sighs heavily) You people have NO idea how much time I spent writing this. It is, of course, wonderfully long and filled with MANY details. I do hope it is good enough—you people are amazing. Thanks for the kudos!**

 **This is the first chapter of a set of six very long parts and will start with a very unexpected event. Dunno it is something likely to happen on the show, but I missed the old days when a character's worries were their work and life, not monsters and magic stuff. Anyway, I hope you REALLY enjoy! Have a nice reading!**

* * *

 _PART I: Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon_

Aurora was having a bad day.

A _very_ bad day.

She could blame her problems on one single word: insomnia—which could be the least of her headaches if Philip didn't insist on leaving a freaking wet towel over their bed. Which of course caused them to fight, and her to arrive late at work, only to learn that her payment would not come as soon she had hoped.

Well, people always said things could get worse.

Aurora wanted to curse those people.

Ironic of her, of course. The whole situation itself was.

Born into a life of privileges, Aurora never thought she would have to fight to survive. Working was never an option, as she was raised to one day marry a prince and her kingdom would be in his hands. She, by the way, cared little, though she had been educated to rule a kingdom.

Now a resident of Storybrooke, Aurora knew her life was turned upside down, but not in such a bad way. She was free to do whatever she wanted—which meant no more etiquette classes nor dinners with snobbish nobles. In her house, only whomever she wanted was to come in, and for that, she was glad.

However, working on a clothing store, Aurora had to expect that, one time or another, she would meet up old acquaintances, if not enemies.

She couldn't be more certain.

Her boss, Mr Wood, after warning her for the delay, had her cleaning the shelves and mannequins. The store settled in a very busy part of town, inside a building by the sea. It was all very expensive and good, put in order in an extremely methodical way Aurora found quite odd; yet it was necessary, as it did make a lot easier for customers to find what they wanted—because yes, the place was that huge.

Her favourite session was the children's, Mr Wood's newest investment. He had the idea after hearing the tragic story of a farmer who had lost his wife and child—and sure, it was cruel to want to invest on children's clothing after listening to such story, but it was not as Mr Wood cared for morals and sympathy if there was money involved. He put good faith in his business, being somewhat unite on its own, and despise the high prices, things were sold quickly. Having only women as his sellers also helped, attracting the eyes of the youngest and the eldest—men and women alike. Sometimes, there were those who couldn't difference a polite smile from a flirting plea, and that is why Mr Wood had bought a gun— for precaution.

Aurora felt sorry for her co-workers, although she knew it was foolish to do so, as they themselves did not seem to mind the attention they got.

Either way, she was glad said attention didn't know of her existence. It is why she chose to work cleaning rather than selling, much against her husband's protests, and very much unlike her co-workers. Dealing with people was and always would be a problem for her.

Therefore, Aurora did her work quietly while several customers—mostly women—wanted in and out, looking for a gift for themselves and their family while they talked about their lives. Aurora, of so bored, paid little heed to these little conversations, such unlike her co-workers who would often laugh and whisper all kinds of gossip.

It was an unnecessary murmuring, but Aurora had no choice—she needed that job. Still, she found it rather odd when a sudden silence came by, after she internally wished for it.

She looked around, and noticed many customers heading to the store's door in desperation while her co-workers began to wander about in distress. Confused, Aurora walked to one of them, Marie Lewis, and asked:

"What happened?"

Marie's green eyes widened and her dark skin turned pale, if possible, "You _don't_ know?" Aurora didn't have time to respond, as her co-worker pulled her by the arm to hide inside an exchanger and whisper, "All customers are gone!"

Aurora gave her co-worker a worried look, "Wait, what? Why? What happened?"

Marie looked frustrated, "For God's sake, the story is _yours_."

Aurora frowned, "What do you—?"

 _"Mrs Berry!"_

The exchanger's curtains were open and the young princess closed her eyes. She narrowed her body and turned quickly at the older woman staring at them.

 _"Ma'am Collins!"_

Samantha Collins was about fifteen years older than Aurora herself, but the amount of make-up she wore would make anyone think that a few more years could be added to her ID. Her skin was covered in dots, her hair was blonde and curly and revolt, and despise her short height; she was always on high-heels, trying to impose her intimidating authority. She was fond of Aurora though, having worked as servant on King Stefan's palace back in the Enchanted Forest, and was the one who convinced Mr Wood to give the young princess a chance.

So when she found her hidden inside an exchanger, she immediately glared at Marie, "Would you be so kind to explain what the two of you are doing?"

Marie gulped, "Ma'am, please, I can explain!"

"Is that so?" The older woman folded her arms, wearing an irritated look. "Well, I'm waiting."

Aurora sighed, "Ma'am—"

"She's here and Aurora too!" Marie blurted out, drawing curious eyes to herself.

The manager glanced at Aurora, as if asking for directions, but the young princess looked more confused than ever, "The interested person doesn't seem worried to me, so why would you be?"

"That's because she doesn't know!"

The older woman blinked and looked at Aurora, "You don't?"

"Know _what_?" Aurora asked at last. She worried, then, when her manager's stern look fell apart.

"You two better move along. Customers might start talking—"

"Customers!" Marie was exasperated. "They're all gone because of that...of that...God, what is she?!"

"I wouldn't dare guessing, Miss Lewis, especially in front of her." The manager suggested, pushing the girls to a more secluded part of the store. "Now, Mrs Berry, I'll need you and Miss Lewis to move along and do your job while I handle this."

Marie panicked, "But, ma'am!"

"Nothing is going to happen, Miss Lewis. I will not let that woman do anything to Aurora, nor to anyone here. I promise."

"But how can you be so sure? You don't know what she wants here!"

 _"As much as doesn't anyone."_

Ms Collins winced as Marie jumped and Aurora, recognising that voice, felt her blood run cold and her world stopped in agonising moments. Her heart was pounding, and she could feel her veins pulsing. Her lips parted, and her breathing became irregular as her hands trembled, and her voice was gone.

It was like when she had to save Philip. Despair, drama, affliction, the unknown. All this, hitting her mind and soul like a thunder.

 _"...Maleficent."_

She hadn't changed at all—and she looked as powerful as ever. She wore no robes nor a black horned headdress, but a dark grey suit and skirt, white shirt, no tie, and high heeled boots. Her hair fell in golden waves around her shoulders, giving her a young and oddly friendly look. However, her red lips of a smirk did not deny her intelligence, nor did her blue eyes of evil amusement deny the darkness of her heart.

 _Beautiful and dangerous like a rose._

The difference from the dragon sorceress that cast a curse to this rather elegant and classy woman was in the young woman right beside her. If it was not for her olive skin and dark eyes and hair, Aurora could bet she had just met the younger version of her nemesis.

A relative, perhaps? An apprentice? Aurora never thought of Maleficent as the teaching type, though she knew of her former friendship with the Evil Queen, due the latter saving the dragon from Aurora's father. When he told such story to his wife and child, Aurora was terrified while her mother, Briar Rose, was not surprised in the slightly, and simply warned her husband not to cross paths with their enemy again.

Back then, Aurora questioned the almost too calm way her mother faced such a dangerous situation, and asked her exactly what Maleficent had against the royal family. Briar Rose said nothing, and Stefan had wanted to tell the truth—if Aurora heard them correctly later on that same night.

Today, the young princess knew what happened between them—and the truth behind the Sleeping Curse was a stab to her heart. To make things worse, Briar Rose and Stefan were in town, living a life that was forced upon them as it had to everyone else, and as much Aurora loved them, she couldn't bring herself to forgive her parents just yet.

Because they had acted as victims for sixteen years, while in fact Maleficent had every freaking reason to hate them, and considering what she had lost, one cannot expect her to just ignore such pain.

The fairies—Flora, Fauna and Merryweather—were the ones to tell Aurora of the truth, having visited her after learning she was in town. They also told her of Maleficent's past: her childhood, the years under the Dragon's teachings, and her death by the Saviour's hands. And the young princess felt sick, guilty and angry, at herself and everyone, for condemning a woman whose dreams and hopes were cruelly severed.

Looking at her right now, after so many rumours of her ultimate comeback, Aurora felt somewhat relieved. Maleficent redeeming herself by taking an apprentice was a welcome change, however odd this seemed as a way to restart. Did she plan to follow her steps? She was older than she looked, Aurora was sure. Probably on her late twenties, earlier thirties? She was also obviously annoyed, and a little curious, looking back and forth from Aurora to Maleficent with quick eyes.

Oh well.

Although it was good to see Maleficent alive and well (Aurora never thought she was ever going to feel this way), she was unsure if she should just walk away or run or whatever. She couldn't just ignore her, she knew, as she did not back off the last time they met, and neither would she do it now.

"Hello, beastie."

 _And here it goes..._

Aurora was dazed, perplexed. Why was she smiling? Whose is this woman with her? Where is the Saviour? All those questions and more stormed into her mind, and the princess was frozen in place, almost trembling in anticipation.

 _"My lady, please! Forgive my foolish of an employee! It is an honour to have you here."_

Mr Wood rarely showed his face, and when he did so, it was usually to announce the payment of his employees, if not to warn them about changes in the store's administration. When not, it took something really terrible to make him leave his office.

Or, if you prefer, a very special customer to buy from his store.

He must have missed the silence of his usually so busy store, and then left his office, facing Storybrooke's illustrious new citizen—Maleficent to her enemies. Mal to her allies. Mother on the day her child felt save enough to call her that way. Monster to the rest, and that is why all his costumers were gone—they all feared what the dragon could do. She was well known for her harsh past, though she had never even been unfair in her judgement.

But she knew she was intimidating.

The treasures she had kept in her forbidden fortress, however, were also well known, and Mr Wood would not let a silly fear prevent him from making a lot of money.

"George Stanford Wood, at your disposal." The man went to the dragon sorceress, and kissed her hand in courtesy, to then notice the figure of a young woman looking annoyed and tensed. "And you must be...?"

"Lilith." She often added her nickname, for it wasn't uncommon for people not to use her full name, taking it did came from a lust demon, the wife of King of Hell, but she was so angry right now, trying to desperately think of something that wasn't killing Aurora and her stupid friend, that she wouldn't spare a single moment in stupid pleasantries. Maleficent may not be offended by their prejudice, but Lily was. And no one would disrespect her mother while she was there. "Her daughter."

Her voice held pride at its best and Maleficent was just as surprised as everyone in there, and her eyes were filled with inevitable happiness.

Lily could literally heard the darkness accusing her of breaking her mother in front of her nemesis, and as her anger waved off, she felt suddenly uncomfortable.

"Her what?" Marie broke the silence to later quickly cover her mouth with her cheeks, her cheeks blushing like mad. Lily practically killed the girl with a cold glare, but Maleficent smirked, amused—their faces were priceless.

"Indeed." She said then, not holding back the grin on her lips. "Despite what others may think, I do like children."

"Of course, my lady. None of us would think otherwise." Mr Wood was the first to recover from the shock, "Children are a blessing!" He then smiled at Lily, "It's a pleasure, Miss Lilith. Allow me to say: you do take after your mother's beauty." Lily raised an eyebrow at him, and said nothing. Years of experience taught Mr Wood that sometimes no words were better than harsh responses, so he forced another smile, "I beg your forgiveness for these girls—" He glared at his employees. "—they don't know how to distinguish such a remarkable customer when they see one."

Incredibly, Maleficent smirked, "I require assistance, nothing more. Winter is at door, which requires a new wardrobe."

Mr Wood's eyes flashed. A would be customer to spend a lot. He liked that. "Of course! Miss Collins, Miss Lewis, Mrs Berry!" He shouted and the three women lined up in front of him militantly. "I demand that you treat these ladies with the respect every customer of this establishment deserves, and present them the best, as to make them feel as comfortable as possible!"

"At once, Mr Wood!" The three women said.

"Good." Mr Wood turned to Maleficent and Lily. He was in love. "If I may, my ladies, help you with anything—"

"I believe your staff will be of sufficient help." Maleficent cut him off quickly. She could already read his ulterior intentions. She also didn't have time for it. Her heart belonged to another, whose location she was yet to find.

Mr Wood, on the other hand, should consider himself lucky. At her rejection, he was clearly bothered, but he did not let that affect his demeanour. He cleaned his throat, "Well, of course, please allow me to accommodate you. The two of you!" He pointed to Aurora and Marie, "I better not hear any complains. Do I made myself clear?"

The two girls nodded quickly, and so Ms Collins walked to Maleficent and Lily, "I'm Samantha Collins and I'll be assisting you today, Lady Maleficent."

"There is no need to address me as such, Miss—" Maleficent read the identification badge attached to the woman's uniform, "—Collins."

The manager nodded, "As you wish, ma'am. Now, allow me to show you our best while the girls prepare you something to drink. Please, follow me."

Maleficent and Lily explored the store in silence. Ms Collins followed them everywhere, as all the pampering possible—a comfortable place to sit, coffee, water, and even sugar cookies to enjoy while waiting.

To Lily, it was all nonsense.

"Do you see any items of your preference, Miss Lilith?" Miss Collins finally asked Lily directly, after failing to interest the young dragon so many times.

Lily's eyes travelled across the store as many colours caught her attention, "...coats?" She inquired, not looking back at the woman.

Ms Collins nodded almost too carefully, "Please, it's right on the next room."

In the end, Maleficent got more interest in buying anything than Lily herself. She had collected several pieces of clothing, quite different in patterns and colours. Standing by a mirror, she lift two coats at Lily's eye level, who watched her mother curiously. She was amusingly excited, "Black or white?" Lily tried on the white coat and turned to look at herself in the mirror, before making a face, "Uh, no." She did the same with the black one then, and as she stared at her reflection, a voice behind her said, "Looks good on you."

Lily caught up at her mother's eyes through the mirror, "It's just a coat." She dismissed.

"Which looks beautiful on you." Maleficent turned to Ms Collins. "Find more like this one. I suppose my daughter has my taste in colour."

Ms Collins smiled, "A minute, if you please." And she was gone, leaving mother and child alone.

Lily took off the coat and handed it back to her mother. She was already getting tired of all this, and let out an audible sigh, crossing her arms over her chest.

Maleficent took notice on her discomfort, "Is there something wrong?" She asked.

Lily's eyebrows shot up, "You are asking _me_?"

Maleficent glanced at her child with confusion taking over her eyes, "You mean I should be bothered by something?"

Lily frowned. She didn't know how her mother could be so...innocent at times. Well, maybe innocent was not the right word. Perhaps she expected too much from people? Or maybe nothing. The fact is: either she didn't seem to notice what was happening around her or she pretended not to notice.

Still, Lily couldn't blame her. Things hadn't been good on the last few days. She hadn't been feeling well enough, something to do with her magic, and although Lily worried, Maleficent assured her that everything was fine and that her sudden discomfort would be gone with the week.

Lily wasn't so sure. She knew what her mother had been through, though Maleficent herself hadn't mentioned anything. Maybe it was something to do with her father?

It has been three weeks since Emma's disappearance, and despise all their efforts in spells, books and incantations, neither Maleficent nor Lily found a thing regarding his location. Truth to herself, Lily was starting to panic, but she denied giving up, spending most of her time searching for whatever information she could get. But as seven days turned into three weeks, the prospect of finding her father became distant and almost impossible, and Lily was totally unready to face what might be the most painful of all truths. For it wasn't fair, was it? To have such a significant part of her life denied, to never known what he was like, or if they looked alike—dragon form or not (although Lily could bet they did), if they had things in common when it comes to their personality, their temper, their magic, even their darkness could share a powerful link, and yet Lily could never know.

So, when her mother proposed they go out and relax, Lily agreed. Not that shopping was the first option she would have in mind if asked, but it was a way to get to know her mother better—to watch how she behaved in front of other people, if something changed, if Lily was indeed the only one who would ever see her good side, to witness how people threatened her, and to test her temper at those who weren't kind to her.

Again, Lily was surprised at how her mother's patience could be so extensive.

"My child, what's wrong?" Maleficent was asking—soft and loving and all too much kind. Lily hadn't get used to it. She probably never would.

"There are...plenty stores in town." She replied with a low voice, feeling awkward. "We don't need to be here if—"

"—if _Aurora_ is here?" Lily's eyes widened a little, as she didn't expect her mother to acknowledge the princess' presence and not at all discreet eyes, as she still hated her so much for what her mother did, "Her name is not a curse, Lily. I won't die to see her well and safe. In fact, I don't give a _damn_." Lily let out a snort, as she had never heard her mother going down to swearing. Maleficent merely shrugged, clearly keen to forget about her past and be happy in the present and in the future.

 _Why can't I be more like her?_ Lily asked herself. _Why do I have to look so much like...like you, Dad?_

She glanced at her image in the mirror and her heart sheathed in many pieces.

 _Where are you?_

"I'm back!"

Ms Collins arrived with a big smile, carrying as many pieces of clothing she could, "Here are some options." She placed at least five to six different coats on a long low sofa without arms, placed against the wall. "I'll get the others, we have several options here. Please, excuse me." And the woman disappeared as fast.

Maleficent was quick to lose herself in the options at her disposal. Lily found this smooth side of her mother something rather unexpected, "Never pictured you as the shopping type." She thought aloud and right then blushed, taking a laugh from her mother. "I–I mean—"

"Aren't all women?" Maleficent mused. "It can be the best of medicine."

Lily was surprised, "So you...you did that kind of stuff back on...there?"

Maleficent shook her head, "My aunts wouldn't let me wander around the village next to the forest we lived, on the exception of fall festivals in which themselves would escort me everywhere. And when I became older, I'd rather visit underground markets or find random caravans selling all types of things." She chose a red coat and her eyebrows rose as she read the price tag. She handed it to Lily, who simply followed her instructions and tried the coat on. "Walking into a store and...shopping as you named it—" She said as she adjusted the lapels of Lily's coat. "—was very exclusive to nobility, in their rare moments, as they preferred to order their clothing, so the gentry would make their own. Me included."

"So you...sew?" Lily wondered if there was something her mother didn't do.

"My aunts made sure to educate me to be a proper lady." Maleficent made a face at the term. "I was fixing dresses at six years old. I hate it. I'd rather stay in the kitchen. Could at least eat something."

Lily couldn't help a smile, very much enjoying her mother's tales of childhood.

"May I make you a dress?"

Lily blinked, "What?"

"A scarf, then? A dress would be useless as to protect you from the cold anyway. A scarf is simpler, and easier. Would you mind if I knit you one?"

Lily didn't know whatever to say or not. Wasn't her mother already doing too much? She didn't have to do any of this. Fill her with gifts, that is. And Lily didn't see a point for that. She didn't see why—how could any of this even change anything that ever happened to them? Their past was gone and there was no turning back.

But that didn't mean they couldn't try to fix their present in order to live an amazing future—which was exactly what her mother was trying to do all this time, in the many curious ways she found to emend things—and in between studying magic, flying over trees, cooking, and so many other things, Maleficent was willing to share every single trace of knowledge, virtue, flaw, and memory she had gathered for a lifetime, hoping to build an unbreakable bond of blood and love.

Not being open to her efforts, not being apt to try, made Lily feel like a spoiled brat who knew nothing better than bitching about the wonderful chance she was given by fate—a well known not deserved chance.

She swallowed, cursing herself. The darkness was speaking to her head, doubts and fears anew. Her eyes fell to all things her mother had brought her.

She sighed, "You don't need to—"

"Don't speak as it was an obligation." Maleficent, the insightful woman she was, obviously knew what this all about. "Because it is not. To do this, to do anything for you, I don't need another reason rather than you being my child. I just—" She paused. She didn't look quite sure if she knew how to describe her feelings in the way Lily wanted, for they weren't that complex, were they? "I want to spend time with you, to do things for you, with you." She confessed in a whisper, a plea that sounded so soft. "Besides—" She tapped her child's nose playfully, taking her out of guard. "—you do need winter clothes, no?"

"I never—" Lily felt as she was about to lie, but her mother's presence made her feel safe while her loving eyes made her unsure. "No one ever—" And the meaning behind her words was stupidly clear.

 _I don't know how I should react to your love for me because no one dared to try doing what you do for me._

Maleficent's eyes softened even more, if that was possible. She took her child's hands in hers, nodding, understanding and accepting. Lily didn't know what to make of such openness.

"I...I'm sorry." She whispered, eyes low in shame and so much pain—the lack of the ability to act around people blatantly exposed.

"Don't be."

But Lily was, more than she wished to, allowing this painful longing to devour her heart. And that made her frustrated at herself.

"I'm messed up." She murmured.

Maleficent cupped her face, and pressed a kiss against her forehead, "Expressing your feelings doesn't mess things up, Lily. And I welcome whatever you have to say." Lily felt two hands touching her arms, sliding up and down in a soothing manner. She let out a sigh but her gaze was still down in utter defeat. "I suppose I got too carried away?" Maleficent guessed, tilting her head to the side. "I didn't mean anything by it. I just...wanted to spoil my little girl."

Lily finally raised her eyes, shy but somewhat curious.

Doubtful.

"Just like that?"

Maleficent grinned, "Always."

And that was her excuse for everything she did. And Lily just felt she would never understand.

Then again, she didn't have to.

* * *

As mother and daughter quietly settled for trying new outfits, Aurora took the opportunity to watch them from afar, hiding herself behind a column.

The young woman—Lilith—sounded almost afraid of saying something wrong. It was not as if she was afraid of pissing her mother off, just...afraid of pushing her away? Which was odd, because it was just logical to conclude that Maleficent was a very good mother, mind you. There was so much love in her eyes, they sparkled how much she loved her child that it made Aurora smile. To say she was relieved was an understatement. She was so freaking happy that couldn't contain the small tears from her eyes.

 _But am I not supposed to, after what my mother did to her?_

Everyone deserved a second chance—even Regina Mills was forgiven—then why would Maleficent be any different, even being the Mistress of All Evil and the creator of one of the evillest curses of time?

 _She has what she always wanted_ , said a rational part of Aurora's brain. _And after so much pain, it was the least she deserved._

The young princess felt a pain of longing welter in her chest, for she could not help but think of her son. Was that a dream? Another curse? It seemed so unlikely that one of the most evil of villains had turned into a good person. It was rather odd that the sorceress who cursed her family had become a zealous and loving mother, above all suspicion.

But also, one could hardly believe that the Evil Queen and Snow White were indeed good friends.

Why would Maleficent surprise her so much?

 _Ah, that's right._

Because no one besides Aurora had seen the darkest side of her heart. So, who could blame her?

Still, despise all proof, it didn't seem right.

 _"Are you going to stare at me all day?"_

Or maybe it did.

 _"I'm not going to hurt you. If I wanted you dead, beastie, you would be dead."_

Maleficent's voice sounded sharp and dry, and maybe a little too much amused.

Aurora froze in her spot, and her heart skipped a beat. She didn't move for a moment, as if to remember her thoughts and line of reasoning, and then, she sighed, feeling stupid. She gathered all the courage she had left and walked from behind the column she was hidden, revealing herself to a dragon that was now watching her every move like a predator having fun on its prey.

Glad to be alive, she asked, "Why are you calling me _like that_?"

Maleficent frowned at the girl's audacity, wondering where it came from. After all, Sleeping Beauty had never been known for being brave. Was that really what she wanted to ask first? A plausible thought would be aren't you here to kill me?

Well, she clearly wasn't.

"Am I not, according to this world, your _fairy godmother_?" Then, she huffed at the absurdity of the tale, "Curious, no? The ways people find to justify the mistakes of those they admire. And although her wings justify what she did, there is considerable difference between our motivations."

Aurora lowered her head and voice, "Yes, I know."

Maleficent's surprise at Aurora's words made her comment, "I suspect Briar Rose wasn't the one to break the news."

The princess crossed her arms over her chest, as in an act of self preservation, "I found out by myself. And I know..." Her voice disappeared in a defeated sigh, "I know there is nothing I can do or say to amend for what she did—"

"Then don't." Maleficent advised, almost ordered. "I don't intent on prolonging this quarrel any longer."

Aurora was taken aback as anyone would, "Y–you won't?"

Maleficent raised an eyebrow, "Do you object?"

"No! I mean...I didn't mean I—" Aurora bit her tongue, interrupting her poor choice of words, and gave up, already tired, sat down on a chair. Her face showed irritation, as she was lost and did not know how to handle it. Maleficent supposed she was just like her mother—a woman to plan things ahead and who hated surprises.

The older dragon felt like scolding herself. She couldn't believe she was feeling sympathetic over Briar Rose's child.

"I'm not here for you. You understand that, yes?"

Aurora lift her gaze to face the dragon, "I'm not a princess, neither you are a villain any longer. I can definitely work with that. And I'm glad..." She shared glances with Lily, whose eyes widened a bit at the young princess' sincerity, "I'm glad things ended well. For both of you. Mother to mother...had what was done to you been done to me, I wouldn't have survived."

If Maleficent wanted to say something, Miss Collins's arrival didn't let her, "I'm back again!" Ms Collins was carrying clothes and more clothes with her. Aurora feared the woman was going to overthrow everything and helped her by all over a table beside where Maleficent and Lily were. That was when Aurora could have a closer look at the villain's daughter and was surprised at how different they looked. Maleficent, noticing the girl's interest, said, "Dragon caught your tongue, Mrs Berry?"

As Lily rolled her eyes at her mother's words, Aurora did something she hadn't done today—she giggled.

* * *

In the end, Maleficent spent a little fortune on clothing and shoes—taking she also bought a few things for herself. Neither Ms Collins nor Mr Wood dared questioning her. She was paying well, that's all that mattered.

Mr Wood, to return Maleficent's...generosity, so to speak, offered to help her on putting her shopping (which where many) on Lily's new car. Maleficent was grateful for his kindness, though she tried at her best not to feed up on his stupid hopes of getting her attention. For the first time in her life, Maleficent started considering wearing a bonding ring.

She internally cursed. She needed to find her husband first.

"Is everything alright, my lady?"

Maleficent left her thoughts and looked at the man, nodding, "Yes." Before the man could say anything, she headed to a blue a car parked a few meters from the store.

Lily had told her about the 1970 Chevy Chevelle of which she named as Big Blue, and as they couldn't leave town, she had no ways of getting her car back. Maleficent, since arriving to Storybrooke, didn't trust those metal machines Cruella also seemed to be so fond of. They were very noisy and useless when you have magic. She knew, however, that Lily held some odd fascination for cars and motorcycles, and that she knew enough about them, their story and how they were supposed to work, maybe a little more than she should—as she had once been what this strange world would address as a car mechanic, someone who repaired those bloody machines when they decided not to work anymore. Maleficent had a hard time understanding her child's passion for metal machines, and she would not deny she was sometimes curious about them. So, she suggested they would buy a new one, and Lily agreed before she could even finish her offer.

Maleficent smiled at the thought of how happy her daughter was when they brought the car, but it also pained her that Lily had so little good moments in her life. It made the sorceress feel the strong need to find perfect opportunities to make good memories every day.

"I thank you." She told Miss Collins with a polite smile.

And before the woman could voice a thing, she was interrupted, "We're grateful for your visit and trust, Lady Maleficent." by Mr Wood. Again. He didn't seem to give up. Aurora, watching their interaction for afar, smiled a little, waiting for Maleficent's reaction—the dragon was so openly annoyed by the man's not-so-subtle words. Whom might had she chosen as her mate? Where was he, by the way?

 _No one wonder she has a child. True Love can cure any illness. But who is he, I wonder?_

"Come back whenever you wish." She heard Mr Wood said. "A lovely client like you will always be welcome."

The dragon nodded, "I appreciate it." Then, she turned to a golden haired young woman there, and her memory brought her to the time where the young princess's mother, bold and unscrupulous Briar Rose, and herself were good friends. Aurora looked so much like her mother, yet she was so small and fragile and genuinely kind that it costed Maleficent to believe that she was indeed Briar Rose's child. Her mind practically screamed at her to attack.

But the girl herself was lost in thought while now watching as Lily put her things into the car and she could not help but think she looked so...normal. She wasn't evil. Which would mean Maleficent had been a good mother. And Aurora was glad, of course, that her nemesis had indeed changed for the best. If for her daughter, she was willing to be kind with her enemies, to treat others fairly, to be fair and spend her own money instead of using her magic to steal from others, then she was undoubtedly better than before. Of course, it was not as if her actions on that day had not been more than convincing about her love for her daughter, but when it comes to a villain, doubt is always understandable.

 _"Aurora."_

And then, the princess' attention was on the dragon sorceress who once tried to destroy her family.

 _"Maleficent."_ She considered using her real name, but just knew she certainly wouldn't want such unknown information to colour the wind for anyone near enough to hear it.

"You've grown..." Maleficent took her time to find any word that wouldn't result on an insult, and the ease on such task made her annoyed. She couldn't truly believing in what she was about to say, "...stronger."

 _So very much unlike your mother._

Aurora, in turn, exposed a small, sad smile, "You've grown kinder."

And no, she didn't mean saying it so openly, but her mind and lips weren't in the same pattern right now, and as her eyes widened at the good will on her own words, the dragon watched her in understandable interest, "Have I?" She indulged and Aurora glanced at Lily for a moment, before nodding. Maleficent's face relaxed then, as she silently acknowledge what the girl meant.

Villains weren't supposed to be good parents. Yet there she was—the Mistress of All Evil, a loving mother.

"One thing, I may ask? For myself?"

The dragon remained silent, and waited for the girl to continue after nodding her head, giving her permission to do so. Aurora's mind flashed back to so many sleepless nights after the end of the curse and they way Philip worried for herself and their son—who needed her so much.

She took a deep breathe, "Is there a way to stop the...this..."

"Insomnia." A mischievous smile played on the sorceress' lips, and Aurora couldn't tell whether it was due the pride of knowing her curse had left permanent side-effects, or out of sheer sadism to have her enemy's daughter still suffering after so long. Probably both.

Aurora didn't dare asking.

"For how long have you been awake?"

"A year or so." Aurora swallowed, nervous. "Was that...was that too out of line?"

She received no response, as Maleficent pursed her lips into a pout, taking a glance on Lily for a moment, knowing the young woman was waiting for her. Maleficent wanted to do good, for her child's sake, she wanted to be the best mother one could be. She wanted, more than anything, for Lily to be proud of her. She didn't want Lily to follow the path of darkness blindly and so giving a good example was the best of options left. Not killing could be seen as enough, but denying help inoffensively sought? Well, she wasn't a Charming.

She sighed. What motherhood had brought out of her was a soft side she wasn't ready to accept. But she had no other choice but to give into it.

"Acorus, hawthorn fruit and red dates. Two hours before you rest." She listened to herself, recalling her old times as a healer, and her voice was even, eyes in anything but the princess, brows frowning in concentration. Recipes were never a strong peak to her.

Aurora hesitated, "You mean...as in a potion?"

"Tea." Maleficent corrected her. "My _Sleeping Curse_ does remains in your blood, which has enough magic as it is. You need to erase any traces of it."

"And tea...helps sleeping." Aurora showed reluctance to believe.

"It does to my Lily."

The endearing way in which Maleficent talked about her child made Aurora's eyes shine with shapes of sympathy and gratitude Maleficent herself never, in her wildest memories, would ever expect to get from Briar Rose's child.

And I may add Aurora was indeed very grateful, yes, for if said tea did good to Lily, whom Maleficent would never lie about, whom she would never use for sordid purposes, then Aurora, having heard enough from Lady Fauna to know that dragons were creatures of honour and duty and passion, could trust that Maleficent was being completely honest right now.

"Thank you. And I'm sorry."

Maleficent almost snorted, "...sorry?" She tried the word on her tongue, very much strange.

"For my prejudice. For other people's prejudice. It was uncalled for."

"I don't care what people might think of me." The sorceress said. "My child doesn't fear me and that's enough."

Aurora smiled softly, "She really admires you."

Maleficent was pleasantly surprised at this, and Aurora wondered if her relationship with her daughter was somehow broken.

"I hope you—"

 _"Stay away from my wife!"_

Lily was in the car waiting for her mother to finish whatever she even had to finish. They had bought much more than Lily had expected—not that she had—and she would have been against spending so much money if her mother had not been so stubborn. But Maleficent wanted to make up for lost time, she wanted to spoil her child, and Lily would let her do so, if that would made her feel more at ease with herself.

And she wondered, as she watched her mother talk so formally and civilly with her enemy, how they did not seem to want to kill each other.

The problem was when a man shouted in the distance, his anger exposed on his young face, and Sleeping Beauty suddenly turned frightened and distressed. He pulled her arm hard and stood between her and Maleficent, who did not seem affected by the situation.

Lily got off the car.

"Philip!" Aurora called, surprised to see her husband. "What are you doing here?"

"I was planning to make you a surprise!" He responded and turned to Maleficent. "But I arrive here to find you with this...this—"

" _Monster_?" Maleficent decided to help him. "Would you believe to learn I'm not here for her?"

In the background, Lily watched the scene, unsure if she should intervene or not, but automatically preparing herself to act.

"What are you doing here?" Philip barked. "Emma assured me you were dead!"

The dragon did not even blink, "I want nothing from you, much less from your wife."

Philip's eyes flash with anger, "Don't fool me! You will not hurt us! I will not allow it!"

Maleficent rolled her eyes. She wanted to laugh. Ignoring the prince completely, she looked at Aurora and said, "Take care, beastie. And thank you."

And then she walked away, leaving a very stunned princess behind, not caring enough to spare the prince a mere glance.

But Philip wouldn't let her. He stood on her way, and they faced each other closely. Maleficent could call herself hardly impressed at his displays of bravery. She remembered of how much he had fought before she turned him into a Yaoguai. She would praise his efforts if they weren't indeed stupid and not followed by any kind of strategic planning. But he was young and inexperienced. She wouldn't blame him for fighting. He wasn't being unjust. He had every right to hate her.

"I advise you to move along." She said quietly, mentally wishing to put an end to such an unnecessary spat.

Yet Philip stepped closer, "Why are you here?" He asked in low tones.

"I don't own you an explanation." Maleficent's soft voice annoyed Philip even more. But if he was trying to make her lose her patience and attack him, thus giving him the opening to attack her, then he would have to try harder than this.

"This is my wife's safety we are talking about!" He shouted.

"I don't see any wounds on her skin." And yes, she used sarcasm.

Philip's skin was red in anger, "Which doesn't mean you didn't intent to change that!"

 _"She's didn't."_

The prince paused and turned to his wife. He looked desperate.

 _"What?"_

"We're just talking. Philip, she didn't try to hurt me at any moment."

"And you believed her? She cursed you! Us! For fifty years! How can you ignore that?"

"I'm not ignoring it." Aurora argued. "I'm just letting it go. She didn't even know I worked here. Did she, Mr Wood? Miss Collins? Marie?" She was practically begging for help and looked at her boss and co-workers with pleading eyes.

"O–of course not!" Mr Wood shuttered. "Lady Maleficent is the newest customer of my store. As well her daughter."

"Daughter?" Philip's voice held a mocking tone that Maleficent quickly learned to distaste. "And where is she?"

" _Here_."

They all turned and stared at Lily in surprise, mostly Maleficent, who did not expect such a direct reaction from her daughter. But the prince, believing that his wife's boss was forging stories, was sceptical, for there was a woman who was clearly very angry with him.

"You—!"

"The name's _Lilith._ " She took two steps closer, glaring at him. "Now _Back. Off_."

Philip's eyes widened, unable to understand why anyone would want to defend one of the most evil villains that ever lived, even if she was her mother, "Do you even know what she is?" He asked, and the volume of his voice increased. "Or what did she do?"

"She's my mother," Lily spat. "That's all I need to know."

Maleficent, as Lily knew she would, stared at her with wide eyes.

"So you approve on what she did?!" Philip asked incredulously.

"Nothing unwarranted, by what I learned." Lily glanced at Aurora for two seconds, then turning to face the prince once again, "Or you don't know what your beloved mother-in-law did?"

"Aurora had nothing to do with her mother's actions!"

"Good for her. Now leave us alone. This or—"

"Lily..." The young woman stopped talking when she felt a soft hand touch her arm, but her eyes kept staring at the prince. "He's not worth it."

Blue eyes met hazel eyes then, and Lily gave in. Turning to Philip, she took him by the collar of his shirt and growled, slowly and firmly, "If my mother wanted you dead, you'd already be. So leave us alone. I'm done with your hypocrisy." She released him abruptly, pushing him back.

But Philip was filled with irrational rage:

 _"You're a monster just like her!"_

That did it.

And Philip didn't even have time to defend himself, and a fist found his nose in a fast, strong movement, knocking him to the ground. The pain was immediate, and the blood was already flowing down his face as he found himself defeated.

Aurora and Marie screamed.

Miss Collins sighed in irritation.

Mr Wood glanced sideways, fearful of the people watching the scene.

Lily smiled mischievously, ignoring the pain on her hand.

Maleficent was somehow touched.

"Can we go now?" Her daughter acted as if nothing had happened, and Maleficent wanted to laugh, for she loved her little girl more every day.

That was when the real problem set in.

 _"Philip, no!"_

The dragon heard a very low crack, the burning of the gunpowder, metal cutting the air, and her magic found no way to disregard what would happened.

A loud shout.

Screams.

Then crying...

...running...

...and lots of cursing.

 _"No!"_

Maleficent was a lover of fire. She had never been afraid of it, not even as a child and that was of the many reasons she loved about being a dragon. They were naturally immune to it, of course, and some tales even said that they were made of it. But they could be killed, as any other living creature, and she almost was, with a sword through her heart.

To be wounded by a small fire wouldn't be a problem if the melted metal wasn't made of iron—as a Sword of Truth could be—resulting on a painful burn on her chest.

She lost her balance and her blood pressure was high, though her heart no longer seemed to beat. A pair of hands kept her from falling, but she was on the floor in low seconds. The world around her was blurry and confusing. Her chest burned.

 _"Someone help me!"_

A loud noise was heard from afar, and two lights, blue and red. A man left his dark machine, running and screaming.

 _"Why the hell did you do?!"_

Her vision was starting to blur and there were voices everywhere. The prince was afar, held by two men. By his feel, a small weapon of which had provoked her mortal wound. Maleficent didn't take a second to understand what he had done. She had seen this weapon before—Cruella had one for personal defence (or rather, self-pleasure—though she couldn't use it due unknown reasons she had linked to the Author.

But wouldn't Philip known any better? If a sword through her heart hadn't been her end, why would a...bullet make any difference?

Oh, right.

That stupid movie hadn't been wrong about a magical creature one's lethal weakness—iron—though it was for dragons only, not horned fairies.

"Lily..." She managed to speak out, breathing harshly. She could feel her tears falling onto her face.

 _"You promised...you promised!"_

To always be with her? Yes, and she didn't intent to break such promise. Villains never did. Dragons even less. In addition, if iron didn't make dragon's magic weaker, her advanced instincts would've told her to defend herself.

Her magic would've been prepared.

 _"Come on! Come on!"_

Men and women were touching her and suddenly a white light was on her face, her clothes were tore open with no care, and her skin was hit by strange hands that held no magic.

 _"Hurry!"_

The iron little thing was burning and her magic faltered.

 _"Take off the bullet!"_ A man. He was screaming. He sounded desperate. _"It's made of iron! She can't heal herself!"_

Another man was arguing, and her child fought him.

 _"She's a dragon, you fucking idiot!"_

She indeed was, and once the iron was gone, her magic was back to work on her flesh again, healing her wounds.

Till then, her mind drove off into a land of eternal memories of darkness.

* * *

 **A/N: Soooo...yeah, it was unexpected, but I PROMISE to explain things the next chapters, okay?**

 **You all may be thinking 'What in hell did this girl who thinks she's a writer had in mind to do something like this? Maleficent would never be wounded by a gun! Philip wouldn't do that!'**

 **Wouldn't he? Anger is always a motivation to hurt people. I won't lie and say it's not...unlikely, but it is possible. I had this idea after watching S6 Lady Tremaine pointing a hunting gun to Ashley (the only Cinderella I can respect). I mean, really, why hasn't anyone yet tried to kill anyone with anything that wasn't magic or a sword? My doubts were on Maleficent actually been taken by surprise, but although she is powerful, she's clearly not trained to fight. She doesn't hurt people out of fun. I love this character to the bone and I miss her as hell. Damn it, ABC.**

 **And yes, I have written my own version on why Maleficent hates Briar Rose—but I don't know when or if I will ever address their backstory directly. Just know you guys will find out what really happened through a very special dialogue. There are many hidden hints here and then too, so it won't be hard to figure it out what Briar Rose stole from Maleficent.**

 **Anyway, I really hope you didn't find this storyline too out of line. There are also many references to what will happen on the next five parts of this particular fic, and I really hope you notice them as you read it. For better clarification, next chapter happens three days after the events of this one.**

 **See ya soon!**

 **This is only the beginning.**


	5. Cold as Blood - Part II

**A/N: And here we're again. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Do you guys remember a dialogue in which Maleficent tells Lily about dragons having ' _twin flames'_ —someone written in the stars to kindle the flame in their hearts forever? Well, a dragon's twin flame doesn't particularly need to be a dragon, and even so, once they meet, it is love at first sight. My point is: Lily naturally has a _twin flame_. Spoiler alert? He's not a dragon.**

* * *

 _Part II: A Blessing in a Hero's Disguise_

Lily once read on a spell book (having obviously already concluded it through self-experience) that dragons cannot dream. They can only relieve memories—from the happiest to the most disturbing of them all. Their minds have no ability to create _the impossible_ for hours on end—a small price to pay for the power to hold over centuries in a flash before their eyes.

It was not as though _sleeping_ was something for them to actually enjoy, however. Dragons don't like wasting their time. They nurture patience more than any other living creature, but they won't stop their day to day activities to elaborate plans that would not be fulfilled in short periods of time.

Also, as dragons don't need as much rest as humans do, no matter the form they are in, one can assume dragons get any rest at all.

Maleficent had been a dragon for most of her life now, so Lily can imagine she had grown used to ignore any foolish memories that would haunt her rare hours of rest.

And so, when Maleficent wasn't resting (of which we can say she barely did), Lily knew she would busy herself to a very secluded list:

1\. tend to her gardens (while growing new ingredients to test on new potions while teaching Lily how to create said potions, because _why not?_ );

2\. do anything that might help on immersing her seventy close to eighty years old self in the _Land Without Magic_ (which resulted on her loving classic horror movies, and reacting so badly at Angelina's 2014 _Maleficent_ that Lily didn't dare suggesting Walt Disney's 1950 _Sleeping Beauty_ );

3\. cooking (and Lily was more than happy to help on that, as long didn't involve on her doing the cooking part);

4\. read and watch _Game of Thrones_ (while disliking Daenerys with a passion—and _yes_ , she grew to respect Cersei _eventually_ );

5\. walk aimlessly into the woods (to easy her common headaches);

6\. fly in her dragon form at night (to avoid complications).

The addition to her pastimes was to bond with her child (if she accepted her company, of course) and when she wouldn't, and Lily was the one to be resting on a lazy afternoon, Maleficent was to watch her sleep while she thought she wouldn't notice—as for her daughter sure wouldn't mind her mother's presence, nor her soft touches in her hair, would she?

Truth be told, Lily would always woke up at the feeling of her mother's caresses on her hair, but she never did or said anything because it felt so good that she would always end up falling asleep again. It made her feel like a child, which was a healing balm to her wounded past. She would often emerge herself on thoughts of hope and kindness as her mother's acceptance soothed her pain, making her feel loved— _like a daughter_ , for the first time in her life. Mainly because Priscila Paige hadn't been the most kind-hearted woman, though Lily knew she had no right to complain of anything, as she indeed had been a quite problematic teenager. But Priscila wouldn't even play with her—wouldn't help her with homework, wouldn't give her a piece of advice when she had a crush on a classmate, let alone caress her hair while she slept, so why would Lily ever feel like she indeed had a mother? Little Lily loved fairy tales, and her teacher would always read her a different one every morning, so why her mother couldn't do the same?

Later on, once Lily was older enough to _read_ people, she concluded that her adoptive parents saw the trials of being a mother and a father as a matter of _status_ rather than a matter of _giving yourself for someone else_. They were content in having a daughter of perfect grades and a perfect smile, and nothing else.

Maleficent was so different it came to be _unsettling_. She would always listen and then smile, offering understanding and support.

It made it _so easy_ to bond with her. And despise Lily not being ready yet to address her as _Mom_ , she already saw her as her _mother_ —the one she had searched an entire life.

Which made the whole situation she was in far worse.

It was curious, of course, that Lily found herself in the opposite situation—her mother fallen on a sleep that, by irony of faith, had been imposed on her but Lily simply couldn't find in herself the courage to be there for her, choosing the cold corridors of the hospital for a period of three days.

Three _agonizing_ days.

The worst days of a life where there was no lack of torment...and that really didn't matter right now. Because whenever Lily chose the paths of danger and sin, whenever the darkness took hold of her actions, making her lose herself in drugs and decide to cross the country on an old truck to Canada...another stupid adventure in which the end and solution was to fake her own death—even after so much pain and abandonment, _nothing_ Lily ever faced made her tremble in as much fear as the possibility of losing someone she _dearly_ loved.

Through the long 24 years that took place after finding out of her own truth, Lily lost the fear of whatever her actions might cause her or anyone. The daughter of a villain would never be loved—or so she convinced herself, knowing it was unfair; knowing she was cruelly taken from a mother that loved her child with all she had. But _hoping_ only brought pain, for she also knew they would never find each other again, and it only got worse with the curse broken, and Lily felt the same pain as her mother had her heart stabbed by the same old friend from her childhood. She literally _felt_ when her mother was killed...and then life stopped mattering, and revenge was all she could think about. It was what kept her breathing, pretending to live. No one cared about her and the only person that ever did was gone so why would she be afraid of anything? You fear when you have something to lose—and Lily was alone.

Such unscrupulous thought made her colder, and now, when she _finally_ opened her heart to build an unbreakable bond with the mother she had always wanted to have, Lily felt vivid and solid fear ravaging her body, mind, soul, and heart in moments that seemed perpetual.

And when she realized it, it had been three days.

 _"Go home."_ Dr Whale told her. _"Go home, take a bath, eat, sleep a lot, and then come back. You're the only family she has left, so you need to be strong when she wakes up."_

Lily did go home, bathed, changed into that black coat her mother said that looked good on her, but didn't even try to sleep or eat because she knew that guilt would not allow her of such luxuries. Also, it was pointless if her mother wasn't there. They had developed a routine. Lily didn't want to break it.

Now, to go in there and stand by her side?

Lily had seen her already, when she had left the surgery room, and the sight was frightening enough to be eternally engraved in her memory.

Maleficent looked so pale, like a dead woman, and Lily could only cry at the sight of her mother's unmoving figure, and then she would beg and pray and cry to the gods _"please"_ but the older dragon would be still, breathing even and modest, unaware of what had truly happened to her.

Lily sat down right with her back against the wall in front of her mother's room door, legs pressed against her chest, head down in defeat, hands trembling while holding herself, eyes shining in tears of desperation, urging for a miracle, yet not hopeful that any prayers would be answered.

Dr Whale was sure on his will to affirm that his newest patient was out of danger, but he was keen to add that if it wasn't for her magic, nothing would've prevented her for leaving this world. Lily desperately wanted to trust his words, but how to, when it had been three days and her mother hadn't open her eyes yet?

The _way of the dragon_ said much about the use of fire to hurt and heal, to live unaffected by time in everlasting _immortality_ (which was a choice, not a consequence of power), yet it doesn't forget to mention (though many prefer to do so) that dragons can be killed as any other living creature— _iron_ as their only _kryptonite_.

Lily has known for years now, as the Apprentice did explain the cause of her unusual allergies. She could live in a world of no magic, but her blood still hold great power, and along that, the same weaknesses.

Her mother studied magic for academic purposes, and never bothered to train her skills for combat—her exact words being: " _Violence is a last resort in which I found no joy."_ And even so, to get to the point of violence, one must attack her directly. Few dared, and lesser lived to tell the tale. Maleficent paid them no mind—she never killed if not in dragon form, and before any claims of mercy from her victims (mostly thieves who had heard of the treasures she kept hidden on her vault), it always came the warning, " _leave or else."_ They never just left—which was the cause of her headaches back in the Enchanted Forest. No one could—neither wanted—to understand that the dragon sorceress willingly _chose_ an isolated life in the fortress by the edge of the abyss.

The attacks to her home became frequent and more elaborated, and by consequence Maleficent was forced to become ultimately cautious of her surroundings, and of her own powers. Having losing enough battles due lack of thought and lots of non spoken anger, she realized that her magic, once a way to archive infinite knowledge, became a self defense weapon of which she held no ability upon, much to her annoyance.

The transition to _aggressive/defensive_ was a process of years, perhaps centuries, had she been allowed, and so, things would've happened far differently.

To know of it, Lily was devastated. The _what could've been_ hunted her mind, and the darkness laughed all the time. For it took true power for her mother to survive. It took her good will. She was fighting. _She had to._ She couldn't just leave, not when there were so many things to be said, to be lived for, to be fought for, to be done and Lily cursed her own name a millions times for being such a _coward_.

She hadn't lost her mother, but no one could know of the future, and despise not wishing to think that one day someone/something might take her away forever, Lily really did not intent to spend the rest of the time fate had gifted them to be together in fear.

It was selfish to think of herself as worthy of anything (or that's what she believed), but she was so tired of living in the shadows. She wanted to be _the best daughter in the world_ —she didn't know _how_ , and she practically trembled as she felt the purest form of angst travel across her body, causing her to shiver at the mere thought of _failing,_ but she was sure of one thing, of what her mother always wanted from her.

 _Trust._

And Lily trusted her. She admired her. She cared _so much_ about her and _nothing more_ would prevent her from saying it.

Once she woke up.

 _"Miss Lilith Page?"_

A soft touch on her shoulder came along a male voice Lily couldn't recognize it right away. She looked up, and was indeed faced with a man kneeling next to her, wearing that stubble beard that would make any foolish girl melt and burn in her insides, while Lily, having dealing with many of them in her life, would just roll her eyes, for she no longer was stupid enough to fall for that kind of rubbish. But his eyes were kind, blue as the sky, and his smile was fair and warm and so alive that made her lungs lost air and, for a moment, it was like time had stopped, and her life passed through her eyes in a flash, and then she knew, as sure as a blueness in his eyes, that in her dragon heart the flame in her soul would be forever burning as long the man before her always smiled.

"What—" She found herself wordless, stupid and dumb, innocent as not to know what to do next. "W-who are you?" She tried again, and those eyes of his became sympathetic in that type of courtesy Lily wasn't used to have from men.

"Name's August Booth. A pleasure to meet you. I'm the... _sheriff_ while the Charmings are away. _Sort of._ "

Lily breathed finally, stunned at herself and the strong beating inside her chest. All the sudden feelings of anxiety and hope disappeared as easily as the wind hitting the sand of the beach, and producing a cold sensation running up her spine. Then, the old familiar anger was born, the famous frustration. The irritation? Raw, and in its flawless state, coming from the hidden and no prudent dark parts of her heart. Her eyes, reflecting a state of hatred so easily fed, became wicked, and she glared at the man, completely forgetting the strange feelings he had awakened in her, and though the dragon on her head screamed so she would not harm him in any way, as in an implicit prohibition, the darkness laughed, stealthy and creative, whispering the many ways of destroying such a sublime meeting.

She listened to none, and yet, she tried to follow both.

 _So_ , he was a friend of her enemies.

She knew it was just _too_ good to be true.

"Get away from me."

But August hold her arm gently just after she got up, preventing her from moving, "Please, if you only let me explain—"

" _Don't touch me!_ " She jerked away from him, turning to walk down the end of the hall. Her voice was low and angry, at him and herself, for hoping for things she obviously would never have.

But August wasn't intimidated by the harshness of her voice, and neither he ever would, for he was unable to blame her for so much anger. So, he followed her, "It's about your mother." He said, getting her to stop, but still not turn to him. "The incident is under my investigation. Dr Whale told me she's out of danger."

Lily lowered her voice to a hiss, "It's none of your _damn_ business."

Luckily or not, August was just as stubborn as her, "I need to talk to you."

Lily's heart betrayed her, skipping a beat, and she finally turned, "What do you mean?" She asked distrustfully.

August sighed, as this wasn't an easy matter to talk about, "Well, I don't know whatever your mother will willing to testify or not, but I would like to know if I could make you a few questions regarding what led to, well, someone as powerful as _Maleficent_ ending up in a hospital bed."

Lily frowned, "Unless this is going to end up with that _bloody bastard_ sent to death row, then our talk ends here."

August raised an eyebrow, "Attempt murder doesn't end on death row."

And so Lily smirked, "I never said a judge was going to give the sentence."

The burning flare on her eyes told August that he would've to play nicely to get any kind of information. She looked tired, and the darkness around herself was almost palpable. To his good side, this was not the first time he had dealt with a dragon. He knew enough of them and their mannerisms, and he knew, too, that when comes to dragons, to be cautious was always advisable.

So he lowered his voice, and tried to sound kind as he watched the woman before him, "Can't we really work this out?"

 _"No."_

But dragons are dark, it was part of their nature, so they couldn't help sound so cold. They were dark and they love it—they were not controlled by darkness—darkness was what fed them.

"It can help your mother." August tried to reason too. Dragons were rational creatures. Passionate at most of times, but when they needed to be rational, no one could overcome them. "Look, I mean no harm—"

"Briar Rose and Snow White sure didn't."

"I'm _not_ them." August didn't know why he was insisting—Lily would sooner walk away again or maybe even attack him—but he felt he couldn't just give up on...her?

He wondered when it did become so personal.

"It's just protocol. Before judgement takes place."

Lily looked bewildered, "There _will_ be a judgement?"

August's eyebrows shot up, "You thought otherwise?"

Lily scoffed, "Seriously? The Mayor is a literal genocidethat cursed everyone into a freaking town but people act as if she is the _Mother of the Year_. Why should I expect justice from someone like _you_ if not even Emma did anything about it?" August wished to say he knew _why_ , but then he would be lying. "See? Plus, no one ever bothered to find out why she cursed that _bitch_."

"But you did." Lily rolled her eyes, and August felt like an idiot. "I mean—"

"She's my _mother_." She said as it was the most obvious thing in the world—at least, in _her_ world. "I believe her." She continued. "I would've done the same _bloody_ thing."

August wasn't surprised. He knew she was acting on impulse, following her instincts, listening to the darkness talking in her head.

He wouldn't try to fight that, but he could try to break those walls she had build around herself. "I'm sorry for what happened. For what the Charmings did and now, for what Philip did."

Talking about her past was risky, but there was not much he could do. Lily, in turn, did not expect anyone to know about her life; much less a total stranger, and when she could find nothing but sympathy in his words, she felt as if all her anger was gone again, and her breathing quickened.

"She almost—" Her voice was harsh, and it felt like her throat burned. She crossed her arms, as if trying to protect herself. "It took me _years_ to find her." Her eyes were cast down, vulnerable and painful. "And then..." She barked a humorless laugh, "Then an _idiot_ shows up and almost takes everything from me. _Again._ "

By _everything_ she did yes mean her mother, the love she offered, the acceptance, the kindness, the magic and the connection of blood they shared.

And she almost lost it all.

"Philip won't go uncharged." August knew he was just saying this. Things never went as smoothly in Storybrooke and, despise all circumstances, Philip had every reason to do what he did. But it was not like August had to condone with his friend's actions. "He committed a crime. I need to understand what happened. I've known him for a while. I've never seen him lose control that way."

"You think _what?_ That my mother provoked him?" Lily wanted to hate August, but his eyes held a disarming shape of blue she couldn't fight. She also didn't want to. "Have you even considered asking him? Or his wife?"

August, too, felt like he was desperate, an urge to protect this woman, to kill those who had harmed her. "I did." He said. "I just want to confirm their story."

Lily sighed, angry, "Does it really matter? It's not like anyone is going to believe her. Plus, it's not a secret to anyone. We were shopping, he arrived, went mad, I punched him—"

"You _punched_ him?" August sounded more curious than surprised.

"If anyone called you a _monster_ , what would you do?"

 _Now_ August was truly surprised, "He did that?" Lily's glare was his answer. "And then he shot your mother?" He was confused. "That's not enough motivation."

" _Hatred_ is always enough motivation." The darkness spoke now, not enjoying being overcome by peace.

August didn't seem to mind.

"So he didn't plan nor deliberate to kill her..." He concluded, thoughtful. "We're dealing with a second-degree attempted murder then. He used a gun, so the sentence can be for a longer period."

"Good." She would've him killed otherwise. She still might. "Where is he now?"

August chose not to tell her, "His lawyer is making arrangements. Anyhow, his father will be substituted. He can't judge his own son."

Lily didn't know why she was surprised, "That bastard's the judge's son?"

"I can assure you he wasn't pleased for what happened."

Lily almost laughed, " _Right._ The perfect son screws up, daddy's careers goes down the road. Same old thing as ever."

"Judge Berry is a good man." August said.

"They always are." Lily snarled.

August merely frowned.

This was the most difficult woman he had ever met.

 _She was fascinating._

"May I call you later?"

Her eyes widened.

"What?"

"So we can talk about what happened," August quickly explained. "About your mother." He added nervously. Why was he nervous? "And perhaps I can talk to her as well, once she gets better. Her testimony will help a great deal."

Lily didn't find in herself to deny this man. He was good. Why the hell he had to be so good?

"Why should I trust a hero of all people?" She asked. "That's what you are, isn't it? A hero?"

"Not exactly."

Lily was skeptical, "What, you run away from home when you were a kid?"

August made a face, scratching the back of his head, "In a sense. My actual name's _Pinocchio_."

Lily analysed the man's expression, looking for lies. When she didn't find any, her tough pose fell apart, replaced by disbelief, "Seriously?"

August shrugged, smiling softly. "I grew up."

Lily didn't said anything, staring at August with a raised eyebrow. She had to be defensive, of course. He didn't know why he expected to be any different. Dragons are possessive creatures, and although they lived alone, once they decided to have a family, there was nothing they wouldn't do to protect them. August was surprised to learn of this in his studies, for he always thought, like most people, that dragons were incapable of feeling. When he, however, encountered other dragons and their so everyday problems, he was faced with their humanity, and he found himself too much curious about their culture.

Unfortunately, he did not have the opportunity to deepen his studies about such creatures, since they themselves wouldn't allow such thing. Now, seeing this young woman, so dark and angry, so willing to defend her family, his thirsty for knowledge was reborn with a force never seen before, as well as a sense of...fascination at the passion described in her eyes.

Also, she was beautiful.

"I promise I mean no harm." He said, looking deeply into her eyes. "I'm a friend of Emma's, not her parents."

Which wasn't a lie, per say? He was never close to the Charmings.

Lily had no reason to believe him, yet it seemed to want it to with all she had.

Finally, she said, "I'll think about it."

"Great!" August grinned and his sudden enthusiasm was somewhat starling. "I mean, that's good. Really good. Here—" He gave Lily a small paper with a few numbers written on. "Here; my phone number and home address. You may find me at the police station too. I could—"

"I'll call you." The words left her mouth before she had any control. She wanted to curse herself.

August smiled, "Okay then. I see you around, Miss Page."

"Lily." She blurted out. "Just Lily."

"Lily." He tried out the name softly and rather liked how it sounded on his tongue. "August, then." He offered his hand and she reluctantly took it. "You need anything, just ask."

Lily wanted to say something else, when a small commotion, followed by a nurse and a doctor entering her mother's room, made her immediately forget what she was talking to August and run.

 _"Hurry!"_

The door was open, and it was when Lily saw her, Maleficent, lying on a hospital bed, several needles pierced on her skin.

Lily could already feel her own blood boiling over a situation she had no control over. The room was all blue and white, a little dark as it was night already, and shadows were everywhere, in mid tones that reminded her of the sky after the rain, but without the comforting scent of wet earth.

"So, let's see..." Dr Whale was ministering a transparent liquid into his patient's vein, while the nurse with him nervously awaited for his instructions.

"What's going on?" Lily jumped to hear August ask before her, had him followed her into the bedroom.

Dr Whale sighed, "Nurse Bethany—" He offered the woman to his right a pointed look. "Forgot to inform me about this lady's medication."

Lily's lung suddenly had no air in them.

"Wait, so-"

"Nah, nothing abnormal. She's fine. I just...Her case isn't the easiest and so I was worried. The physiology of a dragon is very delicate, it is not because they are immune to diseases that you can give them any kind of medicine."

"Will she be fine?" August asked worriedly.

"She will, yes, Maleficent is one of the strongest women I ever met. She just needs to rest and—"

A fast rhythmic whistle reached their ears, accelerating the now strong beat of their hearts, which also tightened in pain, and Lily run to sit beside the bed, eyes searched signs on her face while her heart hoped for the best.

 _"...Lily"_

Maleficent opened her eyes to then quick close them for protection against the strong light on her face. The magic in her blood burned her veins, making her know the reasons for her immobility. She blinked a few times, adjusting her eyes to a place she did not know, and took little time to locate her daughter's figure beside her. She tried to move, and she felt a strong grip on her left hand and then...

Lily was trembling, "Don't move."

Maleficent tried to speak out, as her mother nature shouted her to do it, but her mouth was numb. She wanted to laugh at the irony, but her whole body didn't want to obey the commands of her mind, and she felt frustrated. She let out a weary sigh, and a sharp pain raced through her chest. She closed her eyes to ease the ache on her head, and tried at all costs to send her magic to a straight path to her heart.

She felt angry. She could only remember the prince, his burning eyes, and a small thing made of iron touring her lungs apart.

The pain on her chest returned and she could feel her magic working on healing her wound.

"Don't fuss." Dr Whale warned Maleficent as he began to read her vitals—her pulse, pupils, body temperature, the pallor of her skin, etc. "It's been some time, my lady."

The pin on her chest limited her to a modest smirk, "Victor."

"So you remember." He looked smug. "Envy a dragon's memory."

 _"Not quite."_

Dr Whale offered the dragon a censoring glare, "You're a lucky woman, you know that, right? Any non-magical person wouldn't survive what you just did. Sure, not like you haven't already suffered from a similar attack. Which doesn't make sense. You can't defeat magic with a bullet, but a bullet wouldn't finish what a sword of truth couldn't."

Maleficent sighed, "How long—" A pain in her chest prevented her from finishing the question, and she sighed w earily.

"Dizzy?" Maleficent nodded slightly. "Just a side effect. _Anesthetics_ can be quite—"

"No." She interrupted him. "Magic."

Dr Whale sighed dramatically, "Right, right. _Dragon's magic_ then. Luckily, you won't be here for long." Maleficent was frowning unconsciously, making him frown back. "I can't have you leave this place now. You know it too. But I don't believe it will take more than a few hours for our magic to heal what's left wounded, is it?" Maleficent shook her head in response. "Good. Then you tell me when you're finished, and then you're free to go. God knows how much this place can be tiring."

"I didn't—"

"None of us did." Dr Whale turned to Lily. "What I told you three days ago is still on: you need anything, just ask. Anything for a friend." He winked at her and looked back to Maleficent, "I must go now. People dying and all. You know how it is."

"Yes." Maleficent said softly, a small smile playing in her lips.

Dr Whale smiled again and left the place.

And August made himself known, again gentle and always timely.

"I would—" but the words died on his throat, and Lily looked away, feeling tired, and August sighed, understanding that it was not the best time or place. "I'm glad she's fine." He whispered. "I'll talk to you later."

Lily knew she was blushing as she watched him go, and her heart felt like sinking down for reasons she couldn't quite name neither explain.

 _"...Lily."_

Maleficent's voice was weak, but not faltering, recovering at each passing second, and Lily was fast, perhaps too fast, to recollect her thoughts to the place in which she now was.

"I'm here." She told her mother everything then, how Dr Whale had saved her life, how he had explained how he and Maleficent were allies once. He wanted to study dragons and their longevity. Maleficent wanted help to find a way to get pregnant. It didn't end on her behalf but they became friends. She appreciated that he indeed tried to help her out. "He knew about dragons and iron." Lily pointed out, her face changing to a more serious demeanour.

Maleficent opened her eyes, looking apologetically, "I should've—"

"Doesn't matter." Lily gave her hand a slight squeeze. "You're safe now. The rest doesn't matter."

Maleficent's eyes widened considerably, and she stared at her child for a long time, unable to have known nor understand the passion on her voice.

"You look pale."

Lily didn't fight a smile, despise the tears falling from her eyes. There she was—her mother—always worrying about her child before carrying about herself.

"I'm fine."

She hadn't wanted to leave that _damned_ place. She didn't eat. She couldn't sleep. Wouldn't think.

"You scared the hell out of me." Her voice was the one faltering, but she would also be completely honest from now on. For her tears were of joy, and so she would tell her mother why. "It's not your fault." It was hers; of course, the darkness didn't even bother to yell this truth at her mind. "If I hadn't—"

"He would've." Maleficent was speaking more clearly now. Her magic was faster to heal while she was awake.

Lily shook her head in denial, "I shouldn't. If it wasn't for your magic you—" Just to remember all that blood made her eyes burn and new tears to form. She held sobs down her throat and her grip on her mother's hand tightened.

Then, Lily was sobbing, if only to appease her guilty and her face was buried on her mother's lap, clutching on her, in the attempt to tell herself she was real enough. But her pain was so physical that Maleficent felt like crying.

"Is your promise still on?" Her promise to stay forever, to protect her, to be there, to be kind, to be her mother.

 _"Always."_

She knew it was, but she needed to hear it.

"Good." She closed her eyes and her arms tightened around her mother.

"I'm here." Maleficent whispered, and her free hand found it ways to her child's hair, caressing it fondly, making the girl sigh contently—and relieved. She didn't expect for things to change so _abruptly_ , less due such a terrible incident, as her daughter was never the one to start any kind of physical contact between them, but she was not complaining.

 _Not at all._

* * *

 _THREE DAYS LATER..._

Everything is cold when the front door is open and a strange sound makes them shiver.

It felt like death.

"You didn't return here, did you?"

Maleficent was already walking—without help, though Lily repeatedly insisted she needed to rest and that resulted on them arguing over whatever the use of a wheelchair was necessary or not, with Maleficent almost snapping but not really doing so because she was just too tired for it.

Lily didn't answer, and helped her mother to sit down on the couch. It was cold on that morning, as winter was coming faster than anyone could wish for, much to Lily's dismay.

She's a dragon, after all. Dragons and cold days simply do not match.

"You hungry?" Lily asked, kneeling before her mother.

Maleficent sighed heavily, "Give me a few more minutes and I'll prepare us something to eat."

Lily frowned, " _Right._ As if you're doing anything. Just relax and let me handle everything, okay?"

Maleficent's eyes watched her daughter with attention and serenity, and much love and a little amusement, "Then what are we having?"

" _Pizza._ "

Maleficent pursed her lips, annoyed, "Must vegetable non adept food be _all_ you think about?"

"Dragons eat meat, not grass."

 _"Lilith..."_

"You know I can't cook like you." Or at all. Sure, they shared the same dragon form, hard temper, pride, thin fingers, shape of eyes, the _pursing lips into a pout to demonstrate their annoyance_ trade, and their magic was very similar (with the same smoke colour and all) but cooking skills? Lily found it a wonder that she managed to recreate an _elixir_ —which aided in Maleficent's recovery faster than any medications.

"My offer to teach you stands still. You've proven to be a quick learner."

" _Not_ at cooking."

Maleficent gave Lily a skeptical look, "You took an hour to amplify the effects of a potion which took me at least three weeks to create."

"By following the instructions _you_ wrote."

"The concept is the same...well, _almost,_ but you do get my point."

Lily rolled her eyes, "Let me be the stubborn one here, okay?"

Maleficent would've laughed if she wasn't so tired.

Lily picked up her phone, ready to call a good place she had heard about. Her eyes widened a little when she saw three missed calls. The _unknown_ number was familiar.

 _August._

He had been probably told that Maleficent had been discharged from the hospital.

"What is it?"

Lily felt her heart skip a beat, realizing she was staring at her cell phone for almost a minute. She knew better than to lie and she did not want to bother her mother with any bad news either.

"Nothing."

If only that worked.

 _"Lilith..."_

She was in trouble.

"The sheriff wants to talk to you." It was an impulse. Every time her mother spoke in a more severe tone with her, Lily felt extremely guilty, because it made her remember the first time they had lunch together, and Lily being so cold with her. Lily had promised herself to never be rude to her mother again, because she did not deserve any of that—she was doing her best to build a healthy mother-daughter relationship.

Also, Lily figured she couldn't lie to her mother either. Maleficent apparently had a way of knowing when people lied to her.

And so Lily went straight away explaining the whole situation.

Maleficent remained silent, wearing that same calm of her own, thinking of every possibility of what might happen.

Then, she said, "Tell him to come to meet us here."

Lily's eyes widened, "But—"

 _"Lilith..."_

A warning tone rarely used that was more than welcome if Lily didn't feel so insecure about all this.

August, however, didn't seem to be a treat, despise his contacts.

He answered her after two calls.

 _"August Booth speaking. How can I help you?"_

He was painfully friendly.

"Hi, uh...it's...Lily. I—"

 _"Miss Page, of course! How are you? I mean, I heard your mother is doing fine."_

"She wants to speak with you."

 _Straight to the point, eh? That desperate to see him again?_

 _"Marvelous!"_ Lily ignored the happiness in his voice and the darkness talking to her head. _"Where can I find you?"_

Lily looked out the large window on the living room. The magic shield was gone as soon her mother was shot, and their home was now visible to anyone who passed by. She didn't want to leave her mother alone, and felt suddenly stupid for not buying them anything to eat before returning home.

 _Unless..._

"You know the south-west road next to sea?"

 _"I do, why?"_

"Find a trail next to the first curve. Follow it, and you'll see a cottage. We'll be waiting."

 _"Right away!"_ He then cleaned his throat, sounded embarrassed by his enthusiasm. _"I—I mean, of course I—"_

"Bring pizza. I'll pay you."

August was rightfully amused, _"Excuse me?"_

"I can't cook and I can't leave her alone just to buy food."

 _"Ah, I see."_ Lily could practically picture the sympathy in his eyes. The problem was the slight disappointment on his voice. _"No problem. Any recommendations?"_

"I give you forty minutes."

 _"I didn't mean—"_

"Counting."

The line was off.

* * *

Thirty-eight minutes and two polite knocks on the door later, Lily and August faced each other once more. While August wore a stupid smile and had a pizza box in his hands, Lily struggled against the incessant beating of her heart at the mere sight of such a strange man.

"Hungry?" He tried to joke amicably, and Lily hated the darkness for making her look so awkward.

"Come in."

August silently followed her into the kitchen, placing the pizza box on the table, "So..." He cleared his throat, "It's a beautiful house. Planning to stay for good?"

Why couldn't she be angry at his stupid questions?

"We do." Lily opened the pizza box and it smelled so good that it was almost sinful.

"Hope you like pepperoni." August said.

It was Lily's favourite actually.

 _Damn this man._

"How much I owe you?" She avoided looking at him, not wanting to feel her heart beat painfully in her chest.

"You don't own me anything."

Lily lifted her head, and frowned at him, "Yes, I do."

"Consider as payment the fact you allowed to come here." Lily's heart skipped another beat. "Truly, your mother's testimony will help the investigation immensely. I'm glad she's well and willing to talk."

Lily felt her breathing quicken and it took all of her courage to compose herself convincingly, "After she eats." She waited for him to question her rules, but he just smiled, nodding.

She felt even more angry at him and herself.

Lily walked out the kitchen and August took a deep breathe before sitting down on a chair. He waited for about twenty minutes before Lily showed up again, and ask him to follow her to the living room.

 _"...Lady Maleficent?"_

She merely raised her eyes from her dessert (a small peach) and August wouldn't be offered by her lack of words, considering the tired look she wore. But she gestured him to sit on the chair before her while Lily watched them from afar, like a lioness caring for her cub—as ironic this may seem.

"August." The name was known, though Maleficent could not remember from where. She looked at him with a frown, "I know who you are?"

He smiled, "My actual name's _Pinocchio_. I'm glad to see you're well, Lady Maleficent."

The dragon's eyes widened alertly, and August felt that she hadn't told her child yet whatever she had done as queen of darkness.

"...the boy." She whispered in realization.

But he wasn't there to put salt on the wound.

"No hard feelings for what happened. I'm just here to help."

Maleficent narrowed her eyes, "Why?"

"Well, to make things simple: Philip tried to kill you. An investigation is already on the run, which requires the production of proofs on your and his behalf. I wish to know if you intent to testify against him."

And the dragon sorceress surprised everyone.

"I want no part on this."

And Lily was pissed.

 _"What?!"_

And August was perplexed.

"Lady Maleficent—"

"He tried to kill you!" Lily screamed as she approached them in angry steps. "He tried to kill you and you want to let him loose!"

Maleficent's eyes were cold on her daughter, "Lilith..."

"No! Don't _Lilith_ with me! You know I'm not wrong! He tried to kill you, _damn it_!"

Maleficent was unaffected, "I _cursed_ him."

"And that suddenly gives him the right to try to kill you? What if he tries again?"

 _What if she doesn't survive?_

"He won't. He'll want to avoid problems as much as I do."

"This isn't about problems." Lily roared. "It's about what is fair."

"And when life was ever fair to us?"

Lily hissed, hating when her mother played the reasonable part. She stormed out to the gardens, slamming the door behind her.

"Leave her." Maleficent told August, who was already raising from his chair in a rather curious instinct to follow Lily. "She's upset. Just like I would be at her age. I took years to understand that revenge would led me nowhere. She will too. Give her time."

August frowned, seeming to ponder on the words said to him.

"You don't blame her." He observed, sitting back on his chair.

"I want to have a normal live. I want _her_ to have a normal life. If you can guarantee that I'll have my happy ending with no further interruptions, then I can assure that you won't be hearing of any scandals involving my tale."

"That's unexpected, I won't lie." August confessed. "But good, nevertheless. I'm glad you are willing to reason."

Maleficent chuckled, "Trust me: it doesn't get any easier."

"But you're trying. That's commendable. If other villains were like that—"

"Being _civilized_ is not a matter of good and evil, Mr Booth. But of good sense. I'm not doing this for myself but my daughter. I don't want her to lose herself to darkness as I once did."

"I find it admirable either way."

Maleficent raised an eyebrow, "Most people wouldn't admire the _Mistress of All Evil_."

"Do you still consider yourself as such?"

"Do you?" She dared him, though she already knew his answer. His eyes were extremely expressive.

August took a while to answer, "After talking to your daughter," He looked at the door Lily had stormed through in the attempt to try to stop herself from giving into madness. "She made me see that even though fairy tales are real, we don't always know the true story." He returned his gaze to Maleficent. "I know now about the origin of your curse. I...understand if you're angry at me for prying."

"Flattered, actually. No one bothered before."

They both heard a loud noise of a tree falling to the ground. August was startled and wanted to move, but once again Maleficent prevented him, this time holding his arm, and looking into his eyes, "She—" Her eyes quickly moved to where Lily probably was right now and so August understood that destroying trees was her way of cooping with anger. "—is all I have. If you know of my curse, then you see why Lily's existence is a miracle. She wasn't suppose to be part of my world. But she's here, a living proof of what _true love_ can do. And I just want to build a relationship with her. And in order to have that, I need peace. I hope you understand that as well?"

August nodded, "I do, but you must know it won't be easy to just...erase what happened. A crime doesn't depend on the victim's willingness to be investigated or not. In your case, I think we can open an exception, as things on this city never run as they should, but—"

"—you want me to talk to his father."

August knew that dragons could read other people's intentions by just looking at them. He was impressed to see it in first hand though.

"Only if you would."

"Explain _how_ , then _perhaps_."

August sighed, "Judge Berry doesn't know of your story, Lady Maleficent. Philip himself assured me of that. I think...I'm _sure_ that, if you tell him what Briar Rose did to you, then—"

"—he might be able to put some reason of his brainless son?" Maleficent chuckled, "You haven't lost your ingenuous heart, have you, Mr Booth?"

"I know Judge Berry. He's a good man and will be the only capable of making Philip _listen._ "

"To the woman who cursed his son for about 50 years? Of all my enemies, he is the most willing to reason, yes, but to the point of defending me? That's ludicrous, Mr Booth, although kind-hearted. Why would he even listen?"

"Because his wife suffered from a similar attack. Philip is also a miracle. Just like Lily."

Maleficent's eyes widened in acknowledgment, rightfully fascinated. "Is that so?" She asked and August nodded. "Oh, dear. Who would've thought."

"I know it's surprising." August said. "And I know Judge Barry may never forget what you did against his son, but he will surely understand what's like to lose hope after a betrayal and then, be gifted with a miracle. And _understanding_ is a good way to solve conflicts of all kinds."

Maleficent was silent, though she was holding back a smile. She wanted to smile for several reasons. The irony was the smallest of them, and the luck was the fairness of them all. Irony of Philip and Lily being miracles of true love, and the blessing it was to her daughter to have found such a wise and caring soul to share her life with. The sorceress did not know this man well enough to say that she approved of his clear affection for her daughter, though she knew that her a consent would matter little, if at all, but she could already say that she grew to respect him already. He was calm and good—it would do very well for her daughter to have someone like him around.

"Very well, Mr. Booth." She said, a smirk playing in the edges of her lips. "I will do as you asks of me. We shall see what fate awaits."

"It's all I can ask." He raised from his chair and took her hand, giving it a cordial kiss, "It's has been pleasure, Lady Maleficent. Your daughter has my phone number. Whenever you need to contact me—"

"—I'm _sure_ my daughter will, Mr Booth." Maleficent gave him a knowing look, and August almost stepped back. "Thank you for the food. You were very kind."

"You're welcome." He swallowed, smiling awkwardly. "I bid you good day."

And he was gone.

Maleficent waited for his heartbeat to disappear from her magic reach to raise from her couch and walk outside to her gardens. Her daughter was sitting on the fallen tree she had just destroyed in the middle of an anger wave, and had her gaze lost on the infinite shades of pine trees that surrounded the house.

Sitting by her side, Maleficent saw the young woman fold her arms, reflecting self-defense and preservation.

"You're angry." The darkness was telling her to kill right now. "You realize Philip and I are even now, yes? It means I can start over."

"If you say so."

 _"Lilith..."_

That warning tone was softer, and it meant ' _talk to me, my love'_.

Lily grunted, defeated, "I want him to pay."

"I know." Maleficent run a hand through her child's hair, making the girl look at her. "But I can't be happy now if I live in the past. What happened was all about living in the past. You saw how he lost control for not letting it go? I don't want that to myself, neither to you. You understand?"

Lily huffed, looking away. She was just too proud.

Maleficent sighed. Perhaps if she... "You know." She begun casually, "Mr Booth seems fond of you." The sudden chance of subject made Lily confused, but Maleficent knew she was listening. "You did notice the way he was looking at you, yes?"

The slight blush on Lily's cheeks shamelessly denounced that _yes_ , she did notice, "You won't let that go, will you?"

"You could at least consider it."

"He's a hero."

"Is that a problem?"

Lily snorted, "It _isn't_ for you?"

"Dragons don't label themselves as heroes and villains. There are those who are worthy, and those who are not. Mr Booth is wise and you like him."

"I don't."

 _"Lilith..."_

A warning after a soft chuckle meant ' _Don't lie to me'._

The young woman sighed, "I don't have time for that."

" _Nonsense_."

Lily looked at her mother in exasperation, "I have to take care of you."

"Don't use my condition as an excuse. And if so, was I as weakened as you seem to think, it wouldn't prevent you from having a love life."

Lily's eyes found the forest again, "I don't know which is worse—" She complained. "—you refusing to put that bastard on jail or you trying to find me a date."

Maleficent smirked, "Even _I_ can't deny Pinocchio has grown into a fine man."

Lily frowned at the name, "You met him before."

Maleficent tensed. Well, that wouldn't be easy to explain, but she wouldn't hide the truth, even if it was rather unpleasant.

"I needed information about the Author and he had answers."

Lily arched an eyebrow, still not looking at her mother, "He didn't just agree to help you, did he?"

 _I mean, he's a hero._

"No."

 _And heroes don't help villains._

"Rumpelstiltskin had more efficient methods of making him talk."

Lily didn't need to think much to realize what _that_ meant, "You tortured him."

" _Threatened."_ Maleficent corrected. "To set him on fire." Lily winced, but Maleficent wouldn't hide the truth. "I didn't know you were alive yet. I'm not trying to justify what I did. I was...foolish." She let out a sigh, "I wanted to avenge your death. To make justice."

"But _I_ can't do that for you."

Maleficent cupped Lily's face with one hand, while the other rested on her arm, forcing them both to share an intense gaze, "One can never tell what it feels to do something unless they have experienced it themselves. So hear the so called _Mistress of All Evil_ when she says: _revenge is a road to nowhere._ I've fought for so many years and earned nothing but pain. The day I met your father—" Her voice stopped on her throat and her blue eyes shone in tears that threatened to fall and her lips were graced by a loving smile. "—I felt so much hope. And no memory of curses nor battles against princes can surpass the joy of the moment I found out I was to become _your_ _mother_."

Lily grabbed her mother's wrist, not removing her hand from her face but holding it close, her eyes fighting the burning sensation that wished to dissolve her angry demeanour into a crying and scared mess of a little girl. For it felt so good and odd to be the source of someone else's happiness.

It was a great responsibility too—one she wasn't sure to be ready to hold.

"How _in hell_ did I change you that much?" The darkness asked then. At her best, she tried to convince herself that her mother's past deeds and ways were indeed the best to follow.

Maleficent chuckled, the answer easy on her lips, "You're my _happy ending_."

 _Oh._

"What about Dad?"

Darkness felt like venom in her tongue, splitting doubts and unkind conclusions as ever. Lily, however afraid or not, didn't feel like running away, not this time, and held her gaze on her mother's silent eyes.

"He gave me you. I couldn't ask for more."

Her blue eyes were soft, wiser than anyone Lily would ever meet, and her voice held the kind of sadness and self-preservation Lily was also so used to find in herself.

"You don't think you'd be together."

A declaration—an obvious statement.

"I can't tell whatever the future may have prepared for us—"

"I'll find him." Lily affirmed with strong conviction. "I promise, Mom."

It took a second as that special word echoed through the forest and Maleficent stared at Lily, suddenly wide awake and aware of everything, as if her magic had vanquished all her tiredness. Lily took a moment to realize what of so alien resided in her words to make her mother stare at her in complete surprise.

She waited for an answer, for a movement, for a question, she knew not exactly what. She just realized _what_ it had been when her mother's eyes started glistening, and the warm hand touching her face moved to caress her hair—much like on the very first day she arrived in Storybrooke.

"Are you trying to break me, child?" But her voice was already broken, taken in emotion and feelings she couldn't express in words, and happy, so very happy, in the shadows of a woman once evil and cold.

Lily's response was to shake her head.

To acknowledge her mistakes was never an issue before. She was dark, always would be, and to do wrong was a talent she didn't boast with pride. Over the years, she became restless, ungrateful and unkind. She was desperate to find love—a family, a place to belong to. When her mother offered her a chance, a place in her heart, it was unexpected but so true that now she felt stupid for not acknowledging her _title_ sooner. She was _Mom_ at last, and it felt so freaking real, like the darkness had always been.

"Thank you."

Lily smiled softly at her honesty. She never knew how a title could mean that much to someone, but she felt in her heart that it meant just as much to herself. It was about _bloody time_ she started calling her that way, not only to settle things between them but to show everyone that their relationship was as great as it should and that her mother was better than any of them. If Maleficent was aware of this, Lily couldn't tell. She just couldn't stop smiling. She looked like a child on a Christmas morning.

"I'm not sorry for the tree."

Maleficent started laughing, completely happy, and Lily gazed down, embarrassed but smiling. To allow herself to finally recognize her mother's place in her heart was just _magical._

And she was quite grateful for it.

* * *

 **A/N: I love dragons. I really do. Next chapter is almost done! Ready yourself to many surprises!**


	6. Cold as Blood - Part III

**A/N: Need I say I'm not surprised the show got cancelled? (sighs) Well, I'm not.**

* * *

 _Part III: A Friend and a Foe_

It happened in a dream.

Or __vision__ , if you prefer, but it's true that visions are seldom all they seem.

Either way, it shouldn't even be possible: dragons only live distant memories—and if she wasn't reliving a memory, of which she was sure she wasn't, then someone might be trying to deceive and persuade her to a path of no return.

She sat down on the couch she was laying on, looking around. She was not home, but she knew exactly where she was—a place she had been once so many years ago, when she was young and full of a hope that was about to die. It was night, and the light of the moon brightened outside, through the cracks in the open windows. It was winter, the warmth of the fireplace being cosy and attractive. It was silent, and that was the problem.

Why wasn't the voice in her head speaking?

Lily concluded she was under the influence of some drug—which wouldn't be the first time. For years, she had strongly believed the voice in her head was just a side effect of cocaine and methamphetamine, two of the many things in which she found some solace in her time as a problematic 20 young woman. She ended up forced into a rehab centre, and two years later, Lily realized she was probably crazy—a relief to the guilt gnawing at her heart.

Discovering of her origins only helped to fed the anger, and the little voice in her head became more prominent.

But __now__ she heard nothing—for the first time in her life.

Shouldn't probably have drunk that much wine? Her mother insisted it was the best (or at least that's what the seller told her). Maleficent, though not very credulous, paid a fortune for a single bottle.

Lily fell asleep on the sofa to woke up in another, the last thing she heard being her mother's laughter. Maleficent was not there, and Lily wondered if the vision in which she was in was her work. But Maleficent was unaware of that place, they hadn't talked about it yet, so how could she project it into her daughter's mind? There was also no reason for her to do it, so it could only be a vision. Nothing there was real—it could not be. Much less the sense of peace in her chest.

Lily sighed. Everything was just the same as the last time she had been there, the same mess, the same solitude of an abandoned house.

Her friend's laughter echoed in her mind as a presence made itself known in the room.

 _ _"Good evening."__

A dark figure was hidden in the shadows from which the light of the fireplace and moonlight would not reach. Her voice was hoarse, captivating, and her magic was strong, her heart beating at a steady pace, never losing control.

Lily adjusted her vision, having learned to use her magic to allow her to see in the dark.

And there she was—her old friend.

 _ _The Dark Swan.__

She walked to the light, revealing her slim form and serene expression. She was pale despite the abnormal glow on her skin, and her white hair was a contrast to her black clothes and her eyes were cool, calculating, and tortuous. Lily only faced as much darkness when she looked at her own image in a mirror. It was like looking into the darkness of her heart (Emma's darkness), who was staring at her wearing a cynical smile.

Lily fought the urge to attack. Her eyes were deceptive, dangerous, and so blue. Seeing her like this, consumed by darkness, was very disturbing.

Shouldn't they try to kill each other?

"You look different."

 _ _Controlled.__

 _ _At peace.__

 _ _Loved.__

"I am." Lily found herself answering, not truly understanding why.

The Dark Swan sounded genuine, a tight smile wearing her lips, "Glad to see things changed quickly in a few days."

"You mean __weeks__."

The Dark Swan walked to the fireplace, watching the flames for a moment, "I'm happy for you." She said.

Lily studied her friend carefully, "Did you bust into my head just to tell me that?"

The Dark Swan shook her head, not losing her cool posture. She glanced at the things scattered on the floor—junk food, photos, magazines and stolen money. "We shared good moments here." She admitted, and Lily turned her gaze to everything there, especially the photos of two young girls laughing—just happy for having each other.

For being __best friends forever__.

"We did." Lily whispered, longing for those moments which, though troubled, were one of the few good memories she had. "It's why we are here?" She asked, looking directly at her old friend.

The Dark Swan let out a restrained sigh, and hardly anyone could notice the discomfort she seemed to feel. Except for Lily, of course. She knew how to read people very well—on the clear exception of her own mother. Maleficent was very confusing to her still.

"I thought it was more appropriate so—" The Dark Swan paused, frowning awkward at her own lack of words. "—so we could talk."

Lily already didn't like where this was heading, "What do you want?"

The Dark Swan was straight to the point, turning to face her friend, "What do you know of Dark Ones?" She asked.

The reply was immediate, "Enough not to trust a thing they say."

Ignoring the harsh irony, The Dark Swan continued, "I have control over the darkness. It...peaks to me. As I know my darkness speaks to you. All the time."

Lily frowned, "But __now__ it doesn't."

"I've blocked it. It's not permanent, though, and once I leave your mind, my darkness will take control again."

Lily just knew it was much more than her friend let it show, "But…?"

"I found a way to free you, forever, if you let me. But to do so, I would need to remove all darkness from your heart. Including your own."

Lily allowed herself a dry, short laugh. She didn't even consider the offer, "No, thanks."

The Dark Ones was taken aback by such a flat response. It was so dry it felt like a slap on her face. "I'm the only one who can free you, Lily." She tried to reason.

"Then I guess I'm staying like this." Lily stated firmly, raising from the couch, and the Dark Swan's eyes widened, so much was her surprise. "What, you think I don't get it __why__ you suddenly want your darkness back? My mother is the freaking Mistress of All Evil. Give me some credit."

The Dark Swan was curious, "If it was a month ago, I wouldn't need to ask twice."

"I couldn't control the darkness back then. I can __now__." Lily stepped closer, hissing to emphasize her words: "I don't __need__ neither __want__ your help."

"What we want and what we need are often very different things." The Dark Swan spoke, her voice always soft. "We both know you __want__ to control my darkness when you actually __need__ to be free of it."

Lily rolled her eyes, "So __what__?"

"Don't you wish to be free? You rather live like this forever?"

It had the appeal, Lily wouldn't deny that, but it was such a low blow that it made her want to leave. To where? She did not know. She just wanted to get away from this…creature wearing her friend's face.

"I won't let you finally get the only thing that's keeping you from going __full Dark One mode__ and set the world on fire." She spat dryly, slowly, and the Dark Swan felt her body shift, and her jaw clenched, silent.

Then—a vow, "No harm shall come to anyone."

"You __can't__ promise me that!" Lily exclaimed irritably. "You can't promise me anything."

"I can find you father." The Dark Swan was by the edge of an abyss of desperation. "With my power, I may locate him—"

And Lily lost her temper.

She moved to grab her arm, and the Dark Swan caught her wrist in a quick reflex. They looked at each other closely for about two seconds before Lily grunted in a warning tone, "I won't lose everything I've built just because of you."

The Dark Swan studied her for a moment, eyes narrowing, looking for some weakness, "You're afraid."

"Can you blame me?" Lily asked, and the Dark Swan released her wrist. "Look at you! Was it even worth it?"

The Dark Swan's face didn't change, though her eyes told Lily that she felt uncomfortable, "It was either me or Regina. I had to save her. She's my friend—"

"She's the cause of our problems!" Lily argued. "She destroyed our lives! All those years we felt like…like the world didn't want us is because of her __bloody__ curse and yet you saved her. Why? What's so special about her?"

The Dark Swan's eyes suddenly turned sad and guilty, telling a truth that not even her wanted to acknowledge. And Lily understood, she really saw it because it was as clear as the water of a pure river, and took two steps back, stunned.

"...seriously?" And she didn't need to elaborate further questions to make the Dark Swan literally feel her doubts. She let out a sigh, combing her hair with her hand. "Just go." She whispered, pleading. She was too tired and too angry for any of this.

The Dark Swan was not intimidated by the shades of gold in her friend's eyes but her well versed bravery to face temptation, "What happened to you?" She sounded almost... _ _jealous__.

"I ask you the same." Her eyes scanned her white hair, dark clothes, stopping finally at cold gaze. "You are __not__ Emma. You're __not__ my friend. You're the __Dark One__. And I'm not stupid enough to make any deals with you."

The Dark Swan closed her eyes, in recognition and pain for the words of someone she once thought she had lost. If she felt grateful for her refusal, she couldn't say, but she was also unable to force her to accept her ideas.

Because they had a connection and Emma was not her parents—she wouldn't take from an innocent what she took a whole life to find.

At least, not again.

She stepped back, hands clasping behind her back, returning to her controlling posture, "I'm sorry." She whispered, and Lily could swear she felt her own heart breaking.

Then everything faded into darkness...

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 _ _"...Emma!"__

Lily woke up in a gasp. Her body was dripping with sweat, making her pyjamas cling to her skin, and she trembled with cold, though the fireplace was lit by the eternal magic of a dragon.

She tossed the covers aside and stood up, running straight to the bathroom.

Her expression on the mirror showed pure despair. Her skin was absolutely red, and she was panting, as if she had run endless miles. Her eyes were bright golden, and Lily could feel her magic escaping through her fingers in a purplish fire.

She tried to breathe once, twice, to calm her heart down, and closing her hands, the fire disappeared and her eyes returned to their usual shade of hazel. She washed her face, only to see the water turn into steam at the mere touch on her skin, which was burning at a temperature that would kill any human being.

Taking off her damp pyjamas, she turned on the shower, sighing as the cold water washed her spirit. The bathroom was immediately filled with steam, and Lily cared little, her mind still caught up in the events of her dream.

In fact, from her __vision__.

Has Emma returned? It had been a month since she'd disappeared, a month of so many changes in Lily's life that it seemed it was yesterday she had moved into town. She thought of her mother, and that longing pain spread across her chest, making her feel like crying.

She turned off the shower and dried herself with a towel. Putting on a set of clean clothes, she left her room. She knew her mother was not asleep because she did not feel her magic as she stepped in front of her bedroom door. Maleficent had taught her how to detect other people by tracking their magic. To those who did not have magic, she only needed to trace the beat of their hearts or their body heat, as dragons had their senses much more accurate, even in human form.

Lily closed her eyes and searched for the beat of her mother's heart—always slow and steady, a rhythm that indicated an absurd self-control—making her calm down.

Maleficent was downstairs, sitting on the porch, her wine glass long forgotten, a mysterious look on her face as her eyes roamed the endless pine trees of the forest.

Her head was full of confused thoughts, which would explain her heart skip a beat here or there, or even speed up at a very good or very bad memory.

Lily felt confused to see her sitting there alone, and even guilty of wanting to disturb her late at night, but before she could rethink of talking to her, she heard her mother's firm, but gentle voice:

 _ _"Bad dream?"__

Lily wasted no time. She sat down by her feet, resting her head on her lap. Maleficent welcome her, stroking her damp hair, giving the time needed to speak. But her frustration was so painful that it gave way to hatred, and the darkness of her heart shared infinite evils—she wanted to kill someone. She condemned herself, since her consciousness was now alive and she was better at controlling her anger and rancour. But she couldn't help the sadness, and the tears fell.

Even away from Emma, in a world without magic, Lily always felt linked to her. It was not a connection as deep as the one she had quickly build with her mother, but it was as real as if, with dragons being creatures of loyalty to those they came to care about.

For when dragons loved, they loved it all—they gave it all they had.

Emma was no different, and Lily doubt it was due their shared past and darkness.

 _ _Friends forever__ , she had said.

And she meant it.

"What is it, my love?"

Lily shook her head. She wouldn't speak, choosing instead to hide her face on her mother's lap. She felt a kiss against her head and a whisper against her ear, "You don't need to carry the world on your shoulders." Then, two hands cupped her face, forcing her to look up, "Lily, your skin is burning. This is a symptom of stress. At least, it is for dragons." Lily jerked away, grabbing her mother's wrists, clear was the fear of having hurt her. "Fire cannot kill a dragon." Maleficent quoted with a small smile and Lily relaxed a little. "Now take a deep breath and tell me what this is about."

They talked about her dream for about an hour. About a dark house, old photos, and love and hatred mixing in waves—about her friend, once pure and kind, now ruled by darkness as much as Lily once was.

She hadn't lied about controlling her dark side. She still needed improvements, but she was sure proud of herself for managing to learn so quickly, as it is for dragons, and she was also proud to be one.

Her mother was too, a proud dragon, although most of times she had more of a human heart than humans themselves.

And she wasn't easily impressed.

"I can hear you mind thinking." Lily heard her mother whisper after moments of deep silence, with only the sound of the wind hitting the trees and crickets singing to the night, and her mind searched for the right words, unsure at her own feelings. They were sitting on the couch, Lily's head rested on her mother's lap, the fireplace burning endlessly to warm them from the crispy air of winter.

"That... _ _thing__ —" Lily frowned. The more she thought of it, the more angry and frustrated she became. "—that was __not__ Emma but..." She sighed, "I care, y'know?"

"I know." Maleficent looked down at her child with a sad smile. "You share a connection."

"I don't get __why__." Lily confessed. "I mean, Emma was always so...so strong that—"

"She has no experience with darkness, Lily. The Saviour is fortunate enough not to succumb, and yet, foolish enough to think she can fight it."

Lily said nothing, recollecting her thoughts as the darkness spoke into her mind and for the first time in a while, she didn't think it was such a bad idea, was it?

"Do you think—uh…" Lily sounded close to afraid and Maleficent run her fingers through her hair, encouraging her to continue. The young woman pursed her lips and diverted her eyes to the fireplace, watching the flames dancing. "You can— _ _could__ help her, right? To control the darkness?" She asked slowly, suggestively. Maleficent opened her mouth but nothing left her lips, obviously surprised at such an unusual request and Lily regretted having asked anything as she felt she might had offended her mother, "I mean—"

"I can." Maleficent cut in, smiling kindly, caressing Lily's arm up and down, reaffirming the rule that there was nothing they couldn't talk about. "But as much I might wish to, I don't see the Saviour as willing to listen." Her eyes found an empty spot on the floor, her memories alive before her eyes. She sighed. "Not even Regina accepted my advice, Lily, and we __were__ close friends." Lily remained silent, not wishing to pressure her mother to go on while also wishing her to finish it. Maleficent continued, "If she comes to me, however, then I might." Lily dared to take a glimpse of her mother's face. Maleficent was well aware. "I __will__." Their eyes met. "If Emma requires my knowledge, then I will help her. But I can't force such choice upon her. You understand, yes?"

Lily nodded, and Maleficent leaned in to kiss her forehead. Lily closed her eyes, sighing to the cosy warmth surrounding her heart as fingers traced her hair, combing gently.

"You think she's back?" She asked after a while. "Or it was the darkness telling me what she wants right now?"

The fingers on her hair stopped, and silence practically screamed what Lily wanted to know.

She sat up and gave her mother a look, "She's back, isn't she?" Maleficent adverting her eyes to the fireplace and pursing her lips in an annoyed pout told Lily as much.

She took a deep breathe to easy her growing anger. She also told the darkness to __shut up__ —there was no reason to feel betrayed or lied to. Her mother wouldn't have kept this kind of information to herself if she didn't had a good reason. And Lily, now more than ever, trusted her judgement.

"Mom, why didn't you tell me?" She had to know __why__ though.

A shy smile appeared on the corner of the sorceress' lips, and Lily knew it was just because she couldn't neither wouldn't contain it when hearing __that special word__ coming from her child.

"I felt a great surge of darkness only tonight." Maleficent responded, glancing back at her child. "I had to be sure first."

"You think she's gonna try again? In person?"

"Oh, she wouldn't dare." Her voice was low in a tone that made Lily tremble. She wasn't angry, just…overprotective in a very draconic way. "Dark Ones are masters in bargaining with the weakness of their targets, but they are necessarily cowards. The Saviour is no different. I would be able to feel her presence if she came to you in person. Which is __why__ she chose a dream…Or __vision__ , if we want to be technical."

Because Maleficent was the freaking Mistress of All Evil. Who would dare harm her child now that she had her powers back at their fullest?

"You okay?" Lily felt the compulsion to ask after realizing that her mother too was awake late into the night. No disturbing visions hunted her down, but sometimes memories could equal the nightmares of those under the Sleeping Curse.

Maleficent mouthed a loving ' _ _thank you'__ before allowing herself to think of a good answer. Or to ready herself to give a proper answer.

Her gaze found the fireplace as her ears quietly listened to the wind hitting the pines surrounding her home in a discreet contemplation of nature and herself.

"...Mom?"

Maleficent smiled softly. She just loved being called like that.

"I miss your father." There was sincerity and longing in her confession, not at all hidden but exposed through her voice, eyes, posture and it was so real that Lily could literally felt it burning against her chest. "I may remember my years under the curse clearly, yet it's as if but a few hours had passed between the moment Regina locked me in her dungeons and the moment in which I was resurrected." There was a frown on her face, unaware of thought. "The memory of your father is a shadow to me though." Blue and hazel eyes met, and Maleficent felt like crying for the second time on that night. "I know you're stressed because there is no trace of him."

The darkness got angry, "I'm sorry I couldn't—"

"Please, don't blame yourself." Maleficent begged in a hoarse whisper. "It's not your fault."

"Then where is he?" The question ringed around them for about a second before Lily herself answered. "There must be someone who knows. And I won't give up till I get an answer, good or not."

 _ _Because dragons always keep their promises.__

"We could talk to the fairies—" Maleficent raised an eyebrow at the suggestion, "— _ _and__ you think it's a bad idea."

"I highly doubt they can help. Or if they would. Dragons and fairies don't share a good story."

"Weren't you raised by three of them?"

"My aunts weren't exactly like those fairies. __Pixies__ , perhaps. There were something else. I knew they were. The fact that they raised me implies that. I never asked. They wouldn't have answered."

Lily grimaced, "You don't want me to go then?"

"You can do as you please, Lily. I'm your mother, but you're too grown to be ordered around." __Even though I can only see you as my little baby.__ "I'll advise you though, not to expect much from them."

"So..." Lily wore a longing look that made Maleficent's heart squeeze painfully in her chest. "You could go with me?"

Maleficent actually hesitated, internally screaming at her new incapability of forming the words ' _ _no__ ' followed by ' _ _that would be a terrible idea__ '.

Instead, she asked, "Do you want me to go with you?"

The darkness got frustrated, "I wouldn't be asking if—" Lily shut up to see a scowl. She immediately corrected herself. "Yes, I do."

Maleficent shook her head, amused—and rather pleased to note the outcome of her growing relationship with her child.

"It may be more difficulty to make them agree on helping if I'm by your side. I'm not a woman whom people would be willing to trust, let alone help."

"They're idiots. Plus, everyone knows who I am."

"Who you are...?"

"Your kid. I mean, I turned into a dragon in the middle of the street. Hard to miss that. And after what...what happened...I...I just—" Words failed her, unsure on how to finish her sentence, and for some moments there was a dead silence. Her mind however would never stop. She knew what she wanted—her mother to be there with her, like she promised so many times. Because her presence reminded Lily that she wasn't alone on her journey—not anymore anyway.

"You wish me to accompany you." Maleficent's voice was as soft as the look on her eyes.

Lily nodded a quiet assertive, her serious expression being replaced by a grimace.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to." She felt stupid and childish and weak and fragile. But that was her mother. She said she could ask her anything—sure, it was not like she was going to have anything, but there was nothing they couldn't talk about, was it?

In the end, Maleficent gave in, "Alright." She just couldn't deny her little girl such a simple request. "Tomorrow... _ _after__ lunch."

Lily couldn't help a soft grin, "Deal."

The darkness was laughing in her head.

 _ _Who's the Dark One now?__

"Time to sleep then. We must wake up early tomorrow."

Lily agreed as she let out a yawn.

"I—" She paused to note she didn't exactly know how to end that night, as that would lead to leaving her mother's presence, and with her it would go her warmth, and Lily definitely didn't want that. She felt a rush of coldness at the thought. "I...uh..."

"Breathe."

Lily did, eyes down to her own hands. It was foolish to be shy so suddenly, having both shared so many things in such a short time, building a bond as strong as blood and magic. But it was so new to know she could rely on another person, to know that this person wouldn't leave. It was innovative and very scary to know that she could trust on someone else, and ask for things that have been denied for so long, between hugs and smiles.

 _ _Loving someone__ was a thousand times easier than __knowing how to be loved__ , and Lily would face eternal hardships for it.

And so she wasn't really thinking, neither in the mood to it, when she let out a sigh and moved closer to her mother, snuggling into her warm embrace. Maleficent then chuckled, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, kissing the side of her head, "You wish me to stay with you?"

Her first impulse was to pull away and lie.

She didn't. And she was surprised at her own bravery and not at all surprised at the darkness screaming in her head. "—till I fall asleep?"

Later, she lay on her bed and her mother was there by her side, watching. She would caress her hair in the assurance that she would be there to protect her from anyone who threatened to disturb her rest. It made Lily recall her years as a little girl, crying after a storm of lightnings and thunders, and Priscilla Paige allowing her to let lamp next to her bed on as a weak consolation. Having the presence of her biological mother to calm her down made the contrast between the two only maternal figures of her life even more evident.

Sleep was almost taking over as she felt the soft whisper, " _ _Sleep, my Lily, and peace attend you__ ", along another kiss against her head.

But that would mean the warmth would be gone and the room would turn cold and her lungs were out of air, and she was desperate for contact, quick hands clutching at her mother's nightgown in an instinct, pulling her back in.

Maleficent immediately stopped, and sat back into the bed, "Lily?" She called, and the young woman shut her eyes at the fear of rejection, yet her heartbeat slowed down because her world was warm again, and she liked warm. She didn't need to say anything, though, as Maleficent then laid beside her, and covered their bodies with a trick blanket, and Lily simply let her do it, snuggling impossibly closer.

"All good?" Maleficent was soothing and so warm that Lily could only nod. A few days ago, she would have immediately complained that her personal space was being invaded. Today, she literally embraced the idea. Her mother was careful in her choices of finding ways to be a part of her child's life, and the warmth she emitted was so cosy that Lily fell into a deep sleep—filled of her few good memories—in about seconds.

The last words she heard before falling asleep were, "I'm here, my Lily."

* * *

Lily woke up alone.

A brief, desperate grief took hold of her, as if in one of her reveries where she woke up back in her old apartment, alone in her home and in her life, not knowing where to go, nor if she should go anywhere.

It was over as quick it begun, once she realized the cosy room she was in, the glass window on the ceiling, giving sight to a particularly cold day. Lily listened to the silence around her, following the trail of her mother's heartbeat...who, by the way, was already up.

 _ _Stubborn__ , Lily thought, knowing that she herself was just like this.

She got up and felt a sudden shiver run down her spine, even if the fireplace still softened the cold weather outside. A warm bath later and she was ready to face the day ahead of her. She looked at herself in the mirror as she braided her hair, noticing that the dark circles under her eyes were gone, though the tired look still lingered.

Finally, she went downstairs to the kitchen, not missing the breakfast table all set with coffee, pears and peaches and strawberries and bananas for fruit salad, hot milk on a small glass jar, toasts with butter on a plate, scrambled eggs and fried bacon on another.

Her mother was sitting alone on the table, already dressed in her usual dark mafia chief classy shirt, skirt, tie and boots but without the hat (which was dark and silver, resting on the kitchen counter that separated the kitchen and the dining room), and was pouring herself a cup of tea.

She didn't even look up to acknowledge her daughter's presence, "I'm __fine__ ," she gave a little emphasis on the word as she said, well aware at the censorious frown her child offered her now. "I've been awake for about an hour or two."

"It's twenty __past__ seven," Lily stated sharply, letting her irritation show.

But Maleficent wouldn't look at her, adding two teaspoons of honey to her tea, "Well, __good morning__ to you too."

Lily rolled her eyes, giving up on arguing. She murmured a random curse and was frowning intensely, focused and a little exasperate, as she choose two slices of fresh toast from the plate they were neatly arranged, adding eggs and bacon in some kind of high-calorie sandwich, to later place it on another plate, of which she put right in front of her mother (who was content to have her tea and nothing else).

Then, she found herself a seat on the table, and started filling a small bowl of the fruit salad, her grave expression long gone—and just ignore her mother staring at her open-mouthed, completely speechless.

Sure it was sudden gesture, thoughtless and unprepared and bold and quite confident, but no less sweet than a grumpy order to start to care for herself cause if she didn't things would get messy. But Lily had no skill with words, so her actions expressed everything she needed people to know about herself and what those same people meant to her life. And if she cared enough, she would show how much, not yell it at anyone's face.

And of course, Maleficent was rightfully touched. She smiled softly as she put her cup of tea aside and took a bite on the toast sandwich on "her" plate, humming pleasantly at the good choice in mixing tastes.

"Did you sleep well?" She asked between bites.

"Did you even sleep?" To answer a question with another question was Lily's way of being evasive, or to display her annoyance.

Right now, it was both.

"I've never seen you on a braid before." Maleficent commented, smiling, and so Lily didn't hold up the sullen mood for long. "Looks nice."

Lily said nothing, putting a lose lock behind her ear. She still had a hard time in accepting good intentioned compliments.

Maleficent finished her sandwich after a few hungry bites (you may see Lily smirking proudly as well) and took a sip of her tea before saying, "Judge Berry and I will be talking in about an hour. We can meet for lunch later if you want."

Lily was picking at the strawberries of her fruit salad, "Me not going with you it's not even an option."

Maleficent sighed, "He doesn't know what led to my quarrel against Briar Rose. Mr Booth wants me to tell him."

"Will he even listen?"

"Mr Booth wouldn't ask me to speak to Judge Berry if he hadn't agree already."

"What if he doesn't?"

 _ _What if it's a trap?__

Maleficent practically heard the commotion inside her daughter's mind.

"I would tell if he lied. I was tired, but I always know when someone lies to me."

 _ _You sure do.__

"Besides, he knows he must keep his son under control. Mr Booth saw the need for a conversation as a way to clarify things."

"And you trust him all of a sudden?"

Maleficent was tempted to reveal her reasons, but she restrained herself precisely because she knew there were certain things in her daughter's life in which she could never intervene.

"He sees conversations as an alternative measure of solving conflicts. Which is wise of him." Lily didn't even try to argue, but Maleficent couldn't find flaws on her doubts. She was just adjusting to the sudden changes in her life, August being the newest. Maleficent wanted her daughter to make friends and allies, people she could trust and love. As for her heart, dragons only had one love for life, and Maleficent wouldn't mind a fewgrandchildren. Smiling to herself, she added rather too casually, "And he likes you."

Lily squeezed her spoon so tightly in an involuntary reflex that it bent the metal. Realizing what she just did, she stared at the now useless piece of metal on her right hand, her heart beating faster and faster.

Then, "Seriously?" She huffed.

Maleficent poorly managed to keep herself from chuckling, "You know I'd only wish the best for you, my love."

A frown, __"...still."__

"Eat now." Maleficent told her, "We have a long day ahead of us."

* * *

It was one of those days where August would like to stay in bed all day long: cold on a weekend.

He absolutely hated it.

It took him about five minutes to actually get out of bed, wondering why the hell he agreed to become Sheriff. He remembered Emma immediately, and how strange things were between her and her family.

He felt guilty and threw the covers aside, practically running into the bathroom for a warm shower. Thirty minutes later, he left his house wearing his thickest coat, not actually eating anything but leaving a breakfast ready for his father. Geppetto also hated waking up early on cold days, and August was grateful his father had agreed not to work at weekends.

Taking his motorcycle, he drove to the police station, facing the figure of David and Grumpy waiting patiently at the police station's door.

August parked his bike, and took off his helmet, "David! Leroy!" he said cordially.

The prince gave him a short wave, while Grumpy complained, " _ _Sleeping Beauty__ finally decided to show up?"

August smiled, and got off his bike, "Good morning for you two, partner."

Grumpy snorted a laugh, "You know you'd be dead if not for me, Booth. Now, open this damn door. We're freezing here."

David was watching them, "You two seem to work pretty well together." He commented, amused.

"When he's not flirting with pretty suspects, __perhaps__."

David raised an eyebrow at August, "He's just jealous." While Grumpy snorted, David offered August a hug in greetings. "When did you get back?"

"Yesterday night...I...Look, I'm sorry for leaving for that long. Things are..." David chuckled humorlessly, "Things are a mess."

"How's Snow?" August asked. "And Emma? Is she coming later?"

When Grumpy looked to the floor uncomfortably, David's smile vanished, and August immediately knew something was wrong.

"Come," He said. "You must be waiting for an update. Better if we not freeze."

David nodded silently, and followed August and Grumpy into the police station. August took a pair of keys out of his pocket and opened the front door, he and Grumpy opening curtains and doors as they walked through the small corridors.

"Hope you didn't get in much trouble." David said as they entered the main room.

August shook his head, "Let's say things followed a __nothing out of normal__ path." He turned on the heater to ease the crispy cold air that seemed to be coming from the walls. "So, tell me. What happened? Is Emma okay? Is she...still Dark One?"

David closed his eyes with a deep sigh, "She is and she took off our memories," His voice was becoming angry and frustrated. "None of us—Snow, Regina, Henry—we can't remember anything of what happened on those past four weeks."

August took a while to respond, "That's...well, that's very—"

"Dark One like?" Grumpy suggested.

"I would say __unusual__."

David run a hand through his hair, "I don't even recognize her anymore. It's as like darkness had devoured my daughter." Then, he let out a dry laugh. "Ironic, isn't it? When Snow and I...when we...when the Author made us steal Lily from Maleficent, our thoughts were on if Emma was pure of intentions, then there was no way of her becoming a villain. But now? Nothing we ever did mattered. Emma doesn't know how to control her darkness. I fear we might lose her. Perhaps we already did."

August never saw David sound so defeated, "Can I do anything?"

"Thanks, but I don't know. She doesn't listen, not to us, Regina, Henry or anyone. Only to the darkness inside her head. Says it talks to her. Literally." David shook his head in dismay, "I honestly don't want to talk about it now. It's been really—"

"Tiring." August conceded. "I'm sorry."

David tried for a smile, "Now you give me an update: what's new around town? Any situations I might need to have a look into?"

August knew working was a way of David forgetting of his problems for a while, so he nodded, and went to his (David's) desk, taking a portfolio from inside a drawer, handing it to the prince. David frowned deeply at the tag written ' _ _Philip Berry x Maleficent__ ' on the front page.

"Should I be afraid?" He asked.

"You better sit before you read it." Grumpy told him and August nodded in agreement. "Trust us. It is __that__ bad."

David leaned in against a desk and opened the portfolio, taking about fifteen minutes to read it, surprise and despair slowly building on his face.

 _ _Oh, well.__

"So I've been out for four weeks and we have an assassination attempt? And against Maleficent herself?!"

Grumpy chuckled, "A bullet on the heart. Call me __mad__ if she isn't the luckiest __bitch__ this town ever had."

David stared, perplexed, "...how?"

"Whale." Grumpy revealed. "They were partners once or something. He apparently knows a lot about dragons. Iron can kill them, but he was fast to put her under surgery. Got her three days to wake up."

"And— _ _I can't believe I'm going to ask this__ —but is Maleficent okay?"

August was the one to answer, "She's almost fully recovered. She'll be fine in a few days. A dragon's magic is strong and fast to heal."

"You talked to Whale?"

"That too. I actually paid her a visit at her home."

Grumpy grinned, "You mean you paid her dinner just because you like her kid—what's her name again?"

" _ _Lilith__." August replied. " _ _Lily__ , for short."

Grumpy barked a laugh, "You're in nicknames stage already? You sly dog."

David was still recovering from the shock, "What happened between you and Lily?" but he failed not sounding amused and very curious.

"He brought her pizza in record time because __God forbid making them wait__." Grumpy was smirking slyly, crossing his arms and leaning against his chair.

David was quick to pick up the suggestive ton on Grumpy's voice. He looked at August with a raised eyebrow, "So...you are dating her?"

"No." But he wished he was. "I was doing her a __favour__. Maleficent had been just discharged from the hospital, and Lily called me saying her mother wanted to talk."

"Which means he gave her his number." Grumpy said.

"To make contact about the investigation surrounding her mother's incident." August tried to explain, though he knew very well that his intentions were far from just professional. "Buying dinner would make Lily leave her home, and she didn't want that, so she asked me to buy a pizza so her mother could eat."

David smiled, "So you __did__ visit her."

"Yes. She's doing fine and wants to this situation to end as soon as possible. She intends to stay for good with her daughter. Even if things are so complicated for them. At least she's trying."

David's eyes were back to the portfolio on his hands, "Here you said Philip was the one to start it all." The prince sounded unconvinced. "Strange. Judge Berry was always a decent man. I can't see his son following a different path. Are you sure Maleficent didn't—"

"She didn't." Grumpy intervened. "I mean, it's her right to go shopping, uh? The prince went mad because whatever. Not really her fault."

David frowned, "Given their past, his anger __is__ motivated."

"Which doesn't justify trying to kill her." August said. "In Aurora's testimony, she defends the woman who cursed her family rather than her own husband."

"Couldn't she be under the influence of some spell?"

"Maleficent's spells lost their effect after she got shot. Dragons enter under a state of self-preservation when they need to use all their magic to recover from a deadly injury. And so, any spells they might keep on stop working. That's why I could find her house. It was hidden behind a protection shield that has no effect now."

David nodded his understanding, "What about Lily? Did she—"

Grumpy grunted, "Not even __you__ can blame her for breaking his nose. I would've done the same. Perhaps worse."

David cleaned his throat, "So assuming Maleficent did nothing—"

"She didn't," August insisted. "She's an extremely reasonable woman, if you ask me. She doesn't even want to have Philip charged for second degree attempted murder."

"She...doesn't?" David asked cautiously, not knowing if he had heard correctly.

"Vehemently," August replied. "She doesn't want to get in trouble. Just want some peace to...well, to live her life. I suppose we all can understand."

David felt the beginning of a headache, "When are you going to take her testimony?"

"In—" August checked his watch. "—Twenty minutes? What about a round?"

" _ _Right.__ Got it." David knew this was an advice for him to leave as soon as possible. "I will get the car."

But as he turned to walk to the exit, the prince was faced with the figures of two women, mother and daughter, walking into the room.

He stopped, frozen in time, and felt air leaving his lungs. It is true that the last time he talked to the Mistress of All Evil, David had helped her to find her daughter's uncontrolled dragon form, but he remembered not being so kind. Seeing them now after a month, he immediately felt that much had changed (and improved) between them.

But Lily's stern glance at him shouted in his ears that she, just like her mother, would never forgive him.

He knew he didn't deserve it.

"Prince Charming."

The tone of challenge and mockery was clear and justified and also very well deserved.

"Maleficent." He breathed, uneasy in how to proceed next. He opted for a weak smile.

In the background, August, inevitably wishing to avoid a scene, quickly raised from his chair and approached them, "Lady Maleficent, you're here." He extended his hand in greetings, of which Maleficent politely accepted.

"Mr Booth." She looked around. "Judge Berry hasn't arrive?"

"He won't take longer than ten or fifteen minutes, don't worry." He smiled kindly, his eyes automatically falling on the other woman in there.

"Good morning, Lily." Her name came out with the same level of respect, but along a badly veiled affection. They didn't shake hands, and Lily only nodded at him. "Please, make yourself at home." He told Maleficent, who nodded slightly. "David and I were just—"

"—talking about the Saviour?" Maleficent's tone showed curiosity. She eyed David. "I take she's not well?"

The prince knew what the sorceress __didn't__ mean by asking that. She didn't smile in victory, neither reviled on his suffering. She solely watched him with a judgemental eye that could make anyone tremble and feel like the worse person in the world. Sometimes, when remembering her pleas and screams on that fateful night, David felt just like that.

"No." He said, not wishing to go into details.

"Can I do anything?"

David stared at her for a long time, "You...what?"

Maleficent took off her hat in an attempt to look less intimidating, "I have a proposal with regard to the Saviour's unique conditions, if you are willing to listen."

August and David shared a look.

"What do you mean?" Grumpy asked, joining their circle.

"She went after __me__." Lily replied dryly, bringing everyone's attention to her.

"What?" David took two steps forward without even thinking. "When? Did she hurt you anyhow? What did she want?"

"A deal. My— _ _her__ darkness for my father's location."

David's eyes widened a little, and Lily frowned in a warning not to even dare suggesting anything he might regret, unless he wished for a premature death in a violent and disturbingly creative way.

"She can't have it unless I agree. And I won't." She promised more to herself than to anyone. "But I want to help."

"How?"

This time, Maleficent was the one to let out a sigh, not believing what she was willing to do for her daughter, "As you well know, dragons can control their darkness. It is not a skill restricted to us, and it can be taught to others who do not carry the dragon's blood."

An idea was forming in David's head and his eyes winded in realization.

"You mean...you would teach her?"

"It wasn't __my__ idea." Maleficent objected, and Lily didn't even need to manifest a word, bringing to light the truth behind her mother's actions.

"I...I don't know what to say." David whispered, ashamed of what he and his wife once concluded of dragons and villains and their children. It was a hero's job to remember, to have faith and a mother's love could change even the darkest of hearts.

 _ _They should've known.__

"Only know it's not a guarantee. She can as much ignore me."

"But it's a start." The prince was smiling, hopeful. "Thank you very much."

The sorceress nodded in agreement. She didn't need to consider. Emma was a friend of Lily's, and if so, she would do whatever had to be done to help her leave the path of darkness. Dragons were known to be quite respectful to those who helped them willingly, and for those they cared.

If Lily cared for Emma enough to call her a __friend__ , Maleficent would gladly help.

"Lily and I will be waiting in the hallway." She informed August.

He nodded, "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. And... _ _thanks__. For Emma."

Maleficent shook her head dismissively, and touched Lily's arm in a silent suggestion to leave the room.

Outside, a dark figure listened to their interaction.

Heartbroken, she disappeared in a dark curtain of smoke.

* * *

Lily was passing. Her boots were so hard on the floor that it could've opened a hole.

She didn't care.

The conversation between her mother and the judge lasted about two hours.

Two _ _damned__ hours.

What had Lily done to deserve this? Why the hell did your mother have to be so patient? Why on earth could Lily have not taken this after her?

She sighed shakily, sitting back in her chair. In the same solitary room, August was only to befriend her. The dwarf (if Lily could call him that way) had taken the car and left for a round. August however continued to read and write reports, hoping that Maleficent and Judge Berry would use his interrogation room to talk. Lily was strictly forbidden by her mother to step in the hallway which led to said room, because she couldn't hear their conversation.

Which was exactly what David was going, by the way.

Lily didn't know what there was to talk about, but she already suspected on the judge's behaviour. Closing her eyes, she could hear his heartbeat, and he was irritated.

Definitely few knew of Maleficent's story, but if Aurora had agreed to testify in her favour, there was no reason why the judge wouldn't believe her version.

Still, Lily was distressed, and she couldn't stand in one position for more than fifteen seconds.

She got up from her chair and paced back and forth, arms crossed, her mind at full throttle.

"You okay?" August's voice calmed her down so immediately it was disturbing, and she could only sigh, stopping her passing. Staring at the ceiling, she allowed herself to hear the beating of her mother's heart, always controlled, always bringing her a little warmth.

"No." She answered the question at last, and walked to the door, leaning against the its frame, eyes narrowing at David's serious expression while he watched to whatever was being said between Maleficent and Judge Berry. Arms crossed, body straight and poised, jaw tightened, hard breathing.

 _ _Angry.__

"Tea?" She heard August suggest kindly, "Maybe—"

" _ _No__ , it won't."

"Alright."

Lily frowned absently. She turned to find the man re-reading the reports on his desk, not too focused (his heart beating faster, revealing anxiety). Lily wondered if it was because of the situation in which they were or because of her presence itself.

If only he looked up from his papers to answer her, however, she would be able to tell.

"They won't take much longer," August clearly noticed Lily's anxious behaviour as the reason for her sudden want to talk to him. "Judge Berry is a good man. You don't need worry."

Lily snorted, "Easier said than done."

August just nodded, continuing to try to read his papers and not think about the woman who was there with him, neither at what Grumpy mouthed at him before leaving for a patrol.

 _ _Ask her out already, you idiot!__

"Emma..." the name alone made her look at him, eyes suspicious. "Asking your mother to help her, I mean, that's...that's truly admirable, considering everything that happened between your family and hers. Not everyone would be so—"

"She's my friend." She put it simple, because to her, it was that simple. "I made a promise. Won't break it just 'cause she went mad or something."

"I appreciate the thought."

"You're her friend too?" Lily needed something do distract her mind from killing people that annoyed her, finding her father and potion-making lessons she still refused to admit she loved. August would be her victim.

"I've known Emma effectively for about my whole life. Back in the Enchanted Forest, and then here. We practically grew up in the same orphanage. I met her a few times on the streets too."

"On...the streets?" __like me__ , she almost dared to add.

August shrugged, "Didn't seem to fit in any of foster homes they put me in. Were you too—"

"Run away at 16."

August swallowed, hoping not having sound inconvenient, "Well, it's seems Emma, you and I have a lot in common." He then tried for a small smile and Lily pondered. In fact, she never give it much thought. Sure, now it could only make sense. She felt they also shared a connection—they were probably raised together? He was Pinocchio, sent with Emma in the wardrobe before the Dark Curse devoured them both. If they got lost, it was obvious that __yes__ , and back to Storybrooke they became loyal friends, it was typically something of fate playing with people's lives.

"She changed." She said out of nothing, seeming to be talking to herself rather than to anyone. August raised an eyebrow, ready to make a question when she quickly cut him off, "I meant __evil__."

He hesitated, "...evil."

Lily's frown told him as much, "The white hair __is__ bad enough."

August chuckled softly at the relief of the tension brought by a joke.

"She's going to accept it, right? The help, I mean? Mom can help. She helped me."

August internally wished his answer was positive, "The problem is to make her accept she needs help. That's the trick part. Dark Ones aren't...easily convinced. It's the other way around, actually."

Lily felt the feelings of hope and happiness vanishing her heart, and let out a tired sigh that spoke for itself. August understood her frustration.

He felt a sudden wish to make it go away.

"You said she wanted to help you find your father." He repeated her words, in an encouragement to explain herself, to open up with him, because he was there for her if she needed him to.

"She wants her __darkness__ back," and said darkness was barking something about not trusting strangers and killing heroes but Lily didn't give a second thought. August wasn't a __Charming__.

But then again, Emma __was__ , and that's messy.

"...perhaps I can help you?"

 _ _Oh, damn it.__ Why does he have to sound like he cares that much?

"I don't even know who he is." She confessed in a frustrated hiss, eyes finding the ground beneath her feet in defeat.

August's expression showed understanding, "Maleficent didn't meet him in human form then?"

Lily looked up at him, "How do you—?"

"I'm familiar with the __way of the dragon__. I've studied them before— _ _dragons__ , I mean." Lily's cheeks gained a little colour and August found it so endearing he didn't try to avoid the smile that came to his lips. "I wanted to learn about magic—for medical purposes. So I became an Apprentice...Well, not an Apprentice exactly. The Dragon was a healer and I became one too. He taught me about dragons. __Sort of__."

Lily stared at him for a long time. She was genuinely surprised. Her mother spoke very highly of the Dragon, and therefore, if he chose August to be his Apprentice as a healer, then he must really be a worthy person—in dragon standards, which Lily knew to be far more true than human ones. Dragons did not trust easily, but as they make friends or allies, it was a lifelong alliance. They did not break their promises, nor hurt innocent people. They are neither sadistic nor cruel, always attacking in response to a previous attack, and it was an act of dishonour to hurt those who can't defended themselves. For a human without magic to be chosen as apprentice of a dragon represented the ultimate sign of good will...at least for dragons.

"You know the Dragon." She deadpanned. She still couldn't believe.

August nodded, "That I do. He has been a friend for a long time."

"And where is he now?"

 _ _Maybe__ __he could help me?__

"New York."

 _ _Shit.__

"Right." Lily murmured a curse, scoffing at herself as the vague sense of hope that stormed into her heart vanished stupidly fast.

"But if __I__ can help..." Lily's anger intensified at how willing this man felt, to the point of speaking freely, as only close friends would. "I certainly don't know more about dragons than you or your mother, but if I can do anything, you just need to—"

"—I only have one clue about him." Lily interrupted, and August nodded, patiently waiting for her to continue. She cleaned her throat, "A piece of my eggshell."

"And tracking spells don't work on dragons like they do on humans. I see." August remembered the Dragon once mentioning this. "There must be someone who might know anything about him. Or dragons in general."

Lily sighed, "The fairies?"

August raised an eyebrow, "You think __they__ can help?"

"I don't even know if they will listen."

"I could convince them." Words were leaving his month without any control of his brain, but his heart only.

"How?" Lily asked, intrigued.

"The Blue Fairy's the leader of them, and obviously, part of my tale. She's a friend. If you want, I can talk to her."

"Just like that?"

Don't blame her for being suspicious. There was always a catch on things. No one did other favours if they didn't wan anything in return.

However, she wasn't in the place to deny any help, no matter from whom it came from. And she __really__ wanted to be closer to him.

Yeap, she had it __bad__.

"Look—"

 _ _"Mr Berry!"__

David's voice rang down the hall. Lily's attention immediately turned to the figure of the judge entering the main room, and she felt herself despairing without even noticing her mother's smirk as she also walked down the corridor, following the judge's steps into the room.

"There will be no judgement." Mr Berry announced, and Lily almost fell back, gaping.

August got up from his chair, "Come again?"

The man sighed, pitching his nose, "Sheriff?"

David promptly stood at his side, "Mr Berry?"

"Do whatever it takes so this case is silenced as fast as possible. No investigation will be necessary because there will be no judgement. Everything will be done as agreed." His voice were firm and full of promises. "I don't want to hear anything about it." He told August, "There is no need to more bloodshed. We no longer live in a world of tales and I may not be king, but if there is something I can understand is the pain of a parent." His gaze met Maleficent's, who nodded to him in understanding.

August bit his lip to hold back a smile. His plan had worked out more than right.

The judge didn't want to insist, "It will be better for everyone." He turned to Maleficent and Lily, "My ladies." and then turned to the others. "Gentlemen."

"I'll walk you to the door." David offered and they both walked down the hall.

The room was filled with a tense silence until Lily took courage to ask, "What __the hell__ happened?" She was not happy with such a peaceful outcome, much less the darkness of her heart, but there was nothing she could do about it.

"He will let us be. I had his word on it."

"And you believe him? He's not like us." A dragon, Lily meant. How to believe in the words of a human?

"He's an honourable man, as ironic it may sound I admitting it out loud. The least I could do is believe him."

"Are you sure?"

"Trust me, child." And Lily sighed, nodding, and Maleficent gave her a weak smile before turning to the clock on the wall, reading __10:15 AM__. "Shall we go?"

Lily looked at August for almost a second, then looked back at her mother, "There's something I want to tell you."

Maleficent raised an eyebrow, "Well, then tell me."

When Lily did not seem to know how to talk, August intervened, "My lady, I, uh...Lily," He looked at her and smiled, "She told me about your...struggle to find your husband."

It was the first time someone addressed her twin flame as her husband and Maleficent was startled at how appealing it sounded. Because he was her husband...technically.

Yet she didn't let it show how much it affected her, smirking instead, "And I hope you know something by bringing this subject up?"

"Well, yes," August was nervous, "About talking to the fairies. You know, I'm a friend of the Blue Fairy and I thought—"

Maleficent actually laughed, " _ _Reul Ghorm__ would never allow me access to her precious __pixie dust__ , if that's what you're suggesting, Mr Booth. If you read my tale as you said you did, you know fairies are not keen to help people twice."

"This time she will. She owns me that much."

Maleficent's eyes were inquisitive and cautious, as if studying a prey from a hidden spot. She found herself asking, "Why do this?", however obvious the answer might be. August wasn't going this for her—she knew that too well. He was doing this for Lily. They even shared a longing glance before he replied, "Do I have a reason not to?"

And, oh, well, no matter the outcome of this, Maleficent already approved.

Lily deserved as much.

* * *

"Can I help?"

The __Convent__ __of the Sisters of Saint Meissa__ was a home to the fairies, and they all seemed to be very happy in there, despise living under several rules. They were all young, naturally beautiful and kind, and maybe, just maybe, if Lily said " _ _please__ ", they wouldn't ignore her and her mother like the rest of the townsfolk.

Thankfully, August had his way with people.

 _ _And__ women.

She sighed. It figures that no one had attacked them yet. It was stupid of her to hope. It was rather odd to be ignored by half of town to later get home and be greeted with a smile. It was an enormous contrast between love and prejudice—the hypocrisy of heroes and the goodness of a villain. Despite being used to a difficult life, Lily was still trying to adapt herself to the city—to the totally strange people who cast her stern looks every time she walked around. She was aware she wasn't well seen by them—she had them scared with her dragon form and it was understandable they didn't trust her.

 _ _Yet…__

"Oh, August!" A young brown-haired fairy welcomed him with a bright smile and a hug, "It's so good to see you! What brings you here?"

"I was expecting to speak to Blue." August replied. "Is she available?"

"Currently out to town, but if I can help?" She already noticed the two women with him. "And those are? Oh, my lack of manners. Pardon me." Her smile was wide and kind and innocent, and neither Maleficent or Lily were able to deny her a polite greeting, "Good morning. I'm Nova. A pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise." Maleficent smiled. "A fairy yet?"

"I graduated a few years ago." She tried for a smile which didn't meet the slight sadness in her eyes. "What brings you to the convent? Oh, are you here because of the children?"

"Children?" Maleficent asked.

"We're in charge of the orphanage, and sadly, there are many children that would need a home. Do you wish to see them?"

 _ _"I doubt that."__

Nova and Lily jumped, August chuckled, and Maleficent pursed her lips, all turning to the owner of such cold and stern voice.

 _ _"Mother Superior!"__

The Blue Fairy was a short woman with a hard face and mysterious eyes that one wouldn't soon forget. She carried herself with the same type of arrogance Snow White and her Prince did, and Lily instantaneously knew it wouldn't be easy to convince her to help.

"Reul Ghorm." Maleficent smirked softly as she noticed Blue straighten herself, trying not to look frightened. Lily was quick to note the obvious tension between the two other women. "You look well."

Blue narrowed her eyes at the dragon, "Why are you here, Maleficent?"

"Maleficent?" Nova spoke out, drawing attention to herself. "Oh, dear."

"Sister Nova." The young fairy trembled at the sound of her name. "Weren't you waited at the kitchens?"

Nova nodded three times, "Y-yes. Of course." She turned to Lily and Maleficent. "Excuse me."

The young fairy practically ran, hurried and ashamed. The sound of her low heels hitting repeatedly against the floor went down the corridor and quickly disappeared, until the pair of dragons and the leader of the fairies— _ _and August__ —found themselves alone.

Blue broke the silence, "Mr Booth?" The man smiled at her, which immediately softened her features. "Are those women with you?"

"We are." Lily was soon saying, not wanting any guilt to fall upon her mother.

Blue looked at her from top to bottom, not seeming to recognize her.

"Are you are...?"

"Lilith."

 _ _No longer Paige.__

"Lilith." Blue pondered the name and raised an eyebrow to Maleficent, "She looks just like you."

The dragon sorceress smirked, "Don't I know that?"

Blue shook her head, "Why do you need?"

August answered, "Your help."

Blue watched the man warily, a suspicious glimpse playing in her eyes.

"I don't know __how__ I can help you." She told Maleficent.

The sorceress was honest, "You may be my— _ _our__ last resort." She paused, hating herself for showing any vulnerability. "Do you know of other dragons that were brought here? By the Dark Curse?"

Blue won a sad countenance, and Lily felt herself tremble with the possibilities.

"I'm afraid I'm not the one whose help you need."

"Why?"

Blue sighed, "Because there are people who may suit you better."

Lily would have said something else if her mother hadn't touched her arm, stopping her. The dragon was watching the fairy closely, and it seemed as if they were communicating without words. It was under Lily's fair knowledge of her mother's past that they had known each other for a long time, but Lily never wondered if they were friends.

In fact, it was Blue who helped Maleficent finding her twin flame, but Lily did not know that yet.

"Lily, wait here."

The young woman hesitated at that, posture tensing. It wasn't as she didn't trust her mother but she had never heard her voice sound as serious as now.

"Mom—"

 _ _"Lilith."__

Her voice sounded harsh, firm, and very convincing, and Lily just gave in. She ended up watching them talk from a safe distance and didn't dare trying to hear what they were talking about or read their lips. Maleficent obviously knew she was being watched and cast a spell to prevent her daughter from hearing anything. Lily wasn't offended by her mother's actions. She was sure frustrated to be left out of something that could be so important, but she relied on her judgement. She knew nothing coming from her would ever do her any harm. Whatever the hell it was that Blue knew, Maleficent didn't think her daughter was ready to listen yet.

Still, her mother's expression was ineligible, and it made Lily feel angry.

Until one person caught her attention...again.

"So..." She heard August start gently, and swallowed, returning to fix her gaze on her mother, and suddenly the conversation she was having with the Blue Fairy was no longer interesting, no more than the clear presence of a man at her side. "You okay?" He spoke with reluctance, but it was with that type of concern as to make Lily scoff.

"No."

Why was he talking to her?

"Because your mother doesn't want you to know what's happening."

"That too."

August opened a smile and __damn—__ Lily was blushing, "Can't you try to hear what they are saying? Dragons have __super hearing__ , right?"

Lily cleaned her throat, feeling her lips suddenly dry, "Why are you talking to me?" She asked, the darkness playing with her, leading her into a path of destruction.

And August was so uncomfortable that his eyes chose to avoid hers as much as possible as he babbled a weak apologize, "I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...I'm sorry."

 _ _Oh.__

Oh, he sounded so hurt.

 _ _Damn it.__

"Look—" Lily sought for the kind of niceness and manners she had been taught as a child, and so the pause endured for some moments. She groaned internally, "It's not you, okay? I just—" She just knew she sounded mediocre and cheap—in thought, act, speech and sympathy. "I'm not used to...to __people__."

August looked so confused that Lily almost felt embarrassed, "...people?"

"Helping."

" _ _Ah__." His soft eyes prevailed. "I see."

That made her frown, "You don't. You don't even know me."

August shrugged his shoulders, and bestowed on her a very daring look, "Maybe I want to."

 _ _Now__ her heart was beating loudly against her ears and sternum.

Lily cursed, folding her arms in that old self-protective measure to avoid trouble. Because August's smile was so...handsome and she found herself fighting that strange feeling at ease when near him, which was starting to become so natural that she started to question her own sanity.

She looked away, not waiting to face the man whose smile made her heart beat faster, as if to irritate her any further.

To make matters worse, she was alone there while her mother spoke to that pretentious fairy, and August had to come up with a disarming smile that made Lily want to smile almost immediately.

 _ _You can either be happy in the future or angry about the past__ , her mother's words were mantra in her head, making the darkness in her head stop screaming.

"Look, I..." She had to sigh. "I don't have time for this."

He blinked, startled, "...this?"

Lily's glare was back on her mother's figure, "She's hurting. Doesn't want me to know a __bloody__ thing about it—wants to coddle me all the time. And I __know__ —" She added as she felt August about to interrupt her, "—that's a __mother__ thing, but I'm not a baby anymore. I can take it."

"You think she's hiding something?"

Lily snorted, "It's obvious. And if the Blue Fairy won't help, then I don't know what else I can do. I don't have any sources and that _ _bloody__ book didn't help either."

"You mean the __Once Upon A Time__ book?" Lily's answer was a short nod. "Have you spoke to the Author?" He asked carefully, hoping Lily would show interest, willingness, and total attention to continue.

It worked, "Isn't he trapped behind that door?" That's what the Apprentice told her, anyway.

"Not anymore. After Cruella died—"

Lily turned to him so abruptly that he stopped in mid sentence, her eyes flashing shades of gold, "Where. He. Is?"

August swallowed, "An asylum. Regina thought it was better to lock him up."

Lily heard the darkness laughing inside her head, telling her to disappear, "Take me to him. __Now__." She gave her mother a last glance, realizing she was too distracted (or not) in her conversation with the Blue Fairy to notice anything.

"What about your mother?"

"She knows." That was an understatement. Maleficent would be furious at her child for just disappearing without an explanation if she wasn't already very aware of what was happening.

Plus, Lily needed answers on her own.

"Let's go."

* * *

 **A/N: In case you are confused - _yes_ , it will be Isaac the one to tell Lily who her father is - but not **_where_ **he is. And _no_ , it won't be exactly a surprise. I've been writing hints on who he is since chapter 1. ;) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. Next chapter will...well, I have no idea when I'm updating. Probably by the end of the week, I'm any lucky. See ya!**


	7. Cold as Blood - Part IV

**A/N:** **Okay, for those who don't know, it is no longer a mystery who Lily's dad is. I personally loved the news. Although the show told us who he is, it didn't tell us how Lily found that out. So I kinda worked with that. I hope you all have** **a nice reading!**

* * *

 _(Storybrooke General Hospital - Psychiatric Ward)_

Knowing fairy tales as the next person, Lily prepared herself for crude jokes, a smiling cat, a little girl and card games, but apparently, the Mad Hatter—Jefferson—was not in town anymore, so her hopes on meeting him were crashed as soon she entered the place.

After a quick chat with the receptionist, Lily and August were led to a secluded cell where a man in his early forties was trapped—no straitjacket—just sitting up in bed with an expression of complete boredom.

To see his cell open, he stood up quickly, "By the shiny badge, I can tell you're the new Sheriff." He pointed at August. "The Saviour was deposed then. Good. Couldn't have the new Dark One as the justice's arm here, could you?"

The receptionist offered Isaac an annoyed look, and Lily soon learned that this strange man had already caused trouble—he was there because he caused trouble.

"He's your problem," the receptionist told August before walking out into the hall.

Lily looked between the man and August, confused.

"Lily, this is the Author—Isaac."

Well, shit.

There's a long silence where Lily just stared at Isaac, eyes widening in realization and then anger.

The same happened to Isaac—with fear instead of anger.

"Oh fuck—!"

He was shut down when Lily launched herself at him, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and throwing him through the open door of his cell, to the far side of the corridor. His back hit the wall and he fell on his hand and knees, groaning. He didn't have enough time to recover as Lily practically run to tower over him and grab him by his neck, smashing his head against the wall in a fury wave.

"Lily, no!"

She ignored August, and pressed Isaac further into the wall with her arm blocking his throat, and raised a fist.

"Stop!"

Lily did but for a moment, snarling three seconds later to punch the wall behind Isaac instead, opening a hole.

"Lily, release him now!"

The young dragon gritted her teeth, "Give me a fucking reason." Her eyes flashed golden shades, and she pulled her fist from the wall, "He—" She didn't even spare August a glance as the darkness spoke. "—was supposed to record stories—" She increased the strength on her hand and now Isaac couldn't breathe. His skin was losing all colour and Lily felt herself smirking at that. She was just as ready to send him to a no turn away back journey. "—but he decided to play God—" Her face was dangerously closer to Isaac's now. "—and wrote out the un-Charmings as self serving idiots who took me from my mother before I was even born!"

Second by second, Isaac's struggling became weaker and weaker. Unsatisfied, Lily raised her fist again, trembling, thirsty for blood.

She only noticed August standing right by her side when his voice was very close to her ear, speaking into her conscience.

"He's not worth dying by your hand." He touched her wrist, having no trouble to lower it down to her side. "Lily…" He insisted on using her name, as in trying to get her to look at him. "Let him go."

Lily breathed slowly, counting down to ten as her mother had taught her numeral times, feeling her blood burn in her veins as her heartbeat settled to a normal rate.

Finally, she relaxed, and Isaac fell to the floor brutally, gasping desperately for air. August waited a minute for Lily to cold down before putting a reassuring hand on her arm.

"It's going to be okay." His voice was soft and kind and it made Lily sigh tiredly. "You're better than this—than him." He pointed out and Lily huffed, not saying anything just yet. She stared down at Isaac on the floor, only to get him staring wide eyed at her.

She frowned.

"I can talk to him if you want." August suggested.

Lily shook her head, "It's not your call." She murmured.

"I've made it mine." August almost whispered and Lily turned to look at him.

He swallowed. Her eyes were still wore many shades of gold, as if bathed in the glow of dawn and August was nearly overwhelmed with how wild and beautiful she looked, still flushed in anger.

Oh, he had it bad.

"D-damn it..."

The warmth of the spell between them trailed off as their surroundings turned cold and dark once more. They both looked at Isaac, who had his back rested against the wall, and was glaring at them.

Feeling Lily trembling at his side, August grabbed her hand, and she closed her eyes, walking a few steps away to lean her arms and head against the wall, not trusting herself to any judgement right now.

August waited for her to stop and whisper a weak "fine"—in acknowledgement of his place on her mission—to approach Isaac, kneeling down before him.

The former Author eyed him strangely, "W-what—"

"I'm not your friend." August made sure of getting things clear. "We came here so you would help us, and you're going to help us. Do I make myself clear?"

Isaac grunted and coughed, breathing heavily, "…what in h-hell…d-do you want?"

"Her father's location." August pointed at Lily over his shoulder. She had her eyes closed and forehead pressed to the wall, only listening to their conversation. Isaac opened his mouth to comment on that but August cut in, "You're the Author. If anyone knows who he is, and where he is, it's you."

Isaac's eyes found Lily again, weary and almost offended.

"You wanna an advice?" August could read the stupid plans on Isaac's mind. "Be nice and we'll be nice. If not, trust me that she's not the dragon I'll be giving you out."

The very thought of the Mistress of All Evil would make anyone run in fear. Having written about her tales once, Isaac happily agreed, "R-right." He cleaned his throat forcefully. "S-so uh, what…w-what do you know about dragons?"

August was almost losing his patience, "Do you know who he is, yes or no?"

"Of course I do!" Isaac barked, wincing when the sudden movement made his neck pulse. He coughed, massaging the area filled with the mark of fingers. "Why heroes have to be so—"

"Don't push your luck." August warned once. "Either emend what you did by helping her or die by her mother's hands. Your choice."

Isaac sighed dramatically, "Look, I don't know where he is, okay? I was locked up before the Dark Curse happened, so you can't expect me to know what happened to him."

Lily's voice echoed through the building, _"Just like everyone."_

August and Isaac turned to her.

"What—"

Isaac was cut in as a hand grabbed him by the collar again, and surprisingly putting him on his feet. The Author blinked once, twice, frowning at the young dragon woman that wished his head just a few minutes ago.

"…thanks?"

Lily's now hazel eyes narrowed dangerously at him, reminding him so much of her mother that he asked himself why couldn't had him just chose an easier villain to mess up?

He watched as she pulled out a little something from her pocket—a necklace, which pendant took the shape of a crescent moon.

"Piece of my eggshell." Lily explained quickly, noting Isaac's confusion. "Can't use it in a tracking spell, though. And believe me, I've tried."

Isaac gave her an incredulous look, "Well, I most certainly don't know how."

"You aren't suppose to." Lily's voice sounded oddly calm. Not even herself recognized where it came from but a sense of pride took over her heart and her always sharp nature was long gone. "Your job is to record stories, not to be a part of them." That was one painful truth that felt like a slap in Isaac's face. Lily knew that by the angry look he now wore. She ignored it and continued, "Did you record how my parents met?"

Isaac's jaw tightened, but he played cool, "This is ridiculous." Or, he tried to. "Because it was really ridiculous how things happened. Plus, you're not going to believe me anyway so why the hell—" This time, August grabbed Isaac by his collar, making him rethink of his words and start shuttering, "I–I mean—"

"You have ten seconds." August said in crippled tones.

Isaac nodded eagerly, "Alright, alright, alright! I'll tell you everything! Just… just make sure to keep her away from me, okay? It's not my fault how things happened! Not at this anyway!"

* * *

 _(Convent of Sisters of Saint Meissa)_

If anyone dared to tell Blue that one day the Mistress of All Evil would redeem herself by building her own family, she would've dared to hope for such words to be a possibility, no matter how unlikely it sounded or how the universe seemed to play against it.

If anyone dared to tell Blue that one day she would be having a civil conversation with said Mistress of All Evil, she would've laughed—as the Maleficent she once met hated her with a passion.

But then again, if anyone dared to tell Blue that one day she would actually love Regina's apple pie, she would call them mad.

And yet, here she was.

"She left."

And at the information, Maleficent nodded, not needing to know see whomever was with her child at the moment.

"She knows I know."

The fairy smiled at the simplicity of the answer, "And you won't object?"

"She's with her twin flame."

Blue's eyes widened, "…August and…oh. Are they aware?"

" _He_ might be. _She_ doesn't want to see it."

"And you're not against it?"

"I don't have a say on that." Blue looked bemused and Maleficent snorted, "You must feel rather proud. Seeing the Mistress of All Evil reduced to—"

"It did you good." The fairy admitted. "A heart can be filled with good intentions despise being surrounded by great darkness. Your Lily is the fruit of True Love. One cannot expect from her any less."

Maleficent hummed her acknowledgement. Ever since they met, Lily had had a hard time accepting situations she had no control over. Some would say that no one would feel comfortable with the unknown, but the way Lily lost control was disturbing, indicating a past that made Maleficent want to kill anyone whoever mistreated her little girl.

August was the current problem she was facing, and Maleficent could hear her child's heart beat so faster when near him. She teased, once and twice, and Lily denied, not ready yet to acknowledge anything.

Maleficent wouldn't insist much, not wanting to make her child to feel weird and even more insecure than she already was. Lily was a dragon, but she didn't trust easily.

And for that man being capable of convincing her leaving her mother behind, something strong was happening between them.

Not that Maleficent minded. She loved her child, and wanted her to be happy—to find love, have her own family—as life would naturally demand of her. So, although she could already imagine where her child was now, having listened carefully to the conversation she had with the man who had been so eager to help her, Maleficent also knew there was no need to fear for her child's life.

Twin flames were just like that, taking care of each other, always willing to help and listen, always willing to trust.

Her little girl would be just fine.

"What do you know of them?" Maleficent decided to continue the conversation she was having with the Blue Fairy, her thoughts on her child and her new friend wandering off as she convinced herself that her child was happier with that man than waiting alone for said conversation to finish itself. "I hadn't feel their magic."

"They're living in the countryside, own a flowers delivery business. Everyone adores them."

Maleficent didn't look surprised, "They told Aurora of me and her mother."

"Of that and your incident, as well. It's good there are people still willing to use their minds instead of their hearts. If _you_ were true to yourself, you would have your revenge." Stopping for a moment, she smiled slightly at the dragon. "You've changed, Maleficent. I wish I could say the same about the others."

Maleficent did not care what other people thought of her, though it was gratifying to have a civilized conversation.

"Do they know how I was…killed?"

"I felt compelled to tell them. They mourned your death for about two years, then reopened their floriculture under another name: May Flowers. You must be familiar with it."

Oh?

As a child, Maleficent—born Bethany, the only child of a healer that had been burned on a stake as an evil witch—used to go to the village near the forest where she lived with her aunts to simply attend the flower festival that took place on May, which is the month in which lilies are born.

"Where do I find them?"

"Take the east road. You and your…associates were not very subtle, so the news of your return probably reached them."

"Good. And thank you."

A wave of her hand, and she disappeared in a purple curtain of smoke.

Blue rubbed her temples, feelings the beginning of a headache.

* * *

 _(Storybrooke General Hospital - Psychiatric Ward)_

Isaac watched as Lily's impatience face changed into a very surprised one.

Then—"I told you were not going to believe me."

Lily too perplexed to say a word, to think, to breathe—to live.

She had been so hopeful. She wanted so much to find this missing part of her past, and she sometimes pictured how it would be like to share the same ideals, the same mannerisms, to form an unbreakable bond—the friendship between of blood.

She remembered James Paige, and how he had been kind while never actually trying to understand her. It was him who choose her name, it was him who paid for her riding and fencing lessons, it was him who taught her how to play the piano, but he wasn't there to wipe her tears away when two girls had her hair cut after a fight, he wasn't there to hug her after a night of nightmares, he didn't even attend to any of her school plays or when she won five medals on a fencing championship. Because he had gave more importance to work than to his family. Having a smart daughter was a matter of pride, not love. He did provide her anything a little girl would want, but never what little Lily wanted—a father to his daughter.

Lily didn't know if she missed him or not. She just knew she wanted to meet her biological father. Knowing who he was was reinvigorating, surprising, filling her heart with happiness and hope.

And frustration.

Because, really?

The _why_ he hadn't he shown up yet was…unsettling. Sure the city wasn't small, and Lily made a point of getting everyone's attention by flying over the city, spitting fire—there was even a photo of her dragon form on Storybrooke's Diary front page, for God's sake—so of course he would know about her existence by now.

When questioned by her mother, Lily said that maybe if she literally screamed to the four winds that she was a dragon, maybe her father would face them. Maleficent laughed for almost a minute before she hugged her daughter and kissed her on the cheek, "You're amazing. You know that, don't you?" Lily had shook her head and Maleficent gave her an open smile while her eyes said something else—the sadness was evident, and the weariness as well.

Lily feared what her mother's reaction to the news might be.

Maleficent hadn't said anything about the matter—she knew how to be very discreet when she wanted to, but Lily suspected that she had already done a search on her own.

By the looks of it, she didn't find anything either.

And it made her angry.

"…Lily?"

August sounded worried.

"I'm fine." She lied. She didn't need neither wanted August to fuss about her. He had done too much already. So she swallowed her fears and insecurities and doubts, composing her proud demeanour once more. Staring down at Isaac, she commanded him directly, "Tell me everything."

The former Author snorted, "What is there to say about a hero anyway? That he was brave, selfless, cunning and good humoured? He definitely had the hero syndrome. Also, a difficult sort. I actually had to paid more attention to him than to others in order to write something people might be willing to read. His childhood was the sadness thing I ever wrote—and I got _why_ he was a man of two faces, learning to survive all those obstacles and with all that drama. He was shy too, mainly around pretty women despise all the Casanova persona. Very complicated to understand. Never let out his feelings easily. I suppose you can understand."

Too much, actually.

"What's his real name?" Lily asked.

"Don Diego de La Vega—a nobleman, who became an a vigilante after he returned to Los Angeles in California to fight a tyrant jerk—Captain Enrique Monastario."

"Aren't vigilantes seen as outlaws?" August was the one to ask.

"He was well loved by the people. He fought corruption, and it was thanks to him that things got better. But many others followed Monastario's views, so either he would fight bandits or other villains who dared to cross him. But his story was more about his heart than his fights."

Lily pursed her lips, "Because...?"

Isaac sighed, "His problems actually began after he fell in love with Lolita Pulido, an impoverished noblewoman. At first, both Don Diego and El Zorro romanced her. But you know the Superman and Lois Lane complex, with Lois being unimpressed with Clark Kent, but attracted to the dashing Superman? Here is the same. Then, there is Captain Ramon, who also has his eyes on Lolita. Aka, a terrible love triangle."

Lily felt like a mountain of crazy theories had fell over her head. She was so leaving this out of her mother's reach.

"Did he win?"

"As if heroes ever lose. Nah, eventually he defeated the villain and got to be with Lolita, who later tried to have him killed. Not going to lie—even _I_ wasn't expecting that."

Lily tried to imagine the situation—motivation, scenery and circumstances. She could picture the _bitch_ —and the darkness was to enlist news ways of torturing people to dead. How dare she leave a man like her father?

Then again, if she hadn't, Lily wouldn't exist.

Which was great news, I tell you, because Lily didn't even need to add another person to her _'kill for days and with fire and lots of pain'_ list.

"Why would she do that?" August, however, was surprised.

"He wasn't honest with her about his double life, so when she found out about it through Captain Ramon, let's say more drama was added to what seemed to be a telenovela. At first, I thought it was some kinda of crazy test, but she was just really trying to kill her lover. She didn't get it to do it, of course, and Diego was just…Well, Lolita really made sure him feel like he wasn't worth at all. On the next day, he was back at work as vigilante—just different. _And_ stupid. No sleep, two meals a days and as many scars a hero might have—not to mention all the new accessories. A whip, a pistol, a parrying dagger, and a rapier. Got down a bandit every night—or whenever he felt like."

"He lost himself in his duty." August concluded.

"And that was rather frustrating, to be honest."

August felt compelled to ask, "You speak as Author or as fan?"

Isaac let ou a dry chuckle, "Believe it or not, _El Zorro_ was one of my favourites tales as a kid. It was interesting how he pretended to be an arrogant scholar who could seen mainly as a useless and lazy clown, and by night, he dons his mask, cape and sword to avenge the helpless, to punish cruel politicians, to aid the oppressed along his friend Tornado."

Lily frowned at the name, "Tornado?"

Isaac rolled his eyes at the lack of information, "His _horse_ —a very fast and very intelligent black stallion. Always knew when his master needed him."

 _Oh._

Lily tried to prevent the shiver running down her spine at the revelation. But was of any use to lie at this stage? Her father was a good man, and if someone as selfish as the Author praised him for his deeds, then _Don Diego de La Vega_ was one of the bravest men to ever walk on Earth.

And she carried his blood through her veins.

Which didn't make sense, by the way.

How could _El_ _Zorro_ be her father?

Still, she got why she loved horses so much.

"He was a hero then."

"A vigilante— _big_ difference, though the main concept is basically the same." Now, Isaac sounded really frustrated, "I will never understand. He literally had _everything_. He got money, respect, and all the women he could wish for. Then a girl betrays him and he is suddenly lost. I didn't get it." He finished his phrase with a sigh, which didn't go unnoticed by August.

"You sound disappointed." He commented.

Isaac sighed again, "When you're in this job, you expect people to act like the say they will. I write about an incredible hero that wants to help his people, and then it takes having his heart broken and he's turned into a little boy who cries every night."

"He wanted to love and to be loved." August argued. "That's not wrong."

"He forgot about his duties. How is he any better than an irresponsible brat?"

"Didn't you do the same as Author?"

 _Ouch._

Isaac swallowed, clearly uncomfortable, "Well, he swore to never give up. And he failed. But you know the old saying: _Never meet your idols. It_ _only_ _leads to disappointment_."

Lily prevented herself from cursing out loud. She wouldn't give Isaac the satisfaction on knowing she didn't want to hear more— didn't need to destroy the hope of her heart more than it was already, but the truth was something that life (and Isaac) owed her, so she kept going, her chin high, "How did he turn into a dragon?" She asked.

The answer was, "Rumpelstiltskin."

* * *

 _(Los Angeles, 19th-century, California, Mexican rule)_

The Dark One had plans of his own for pretty much everything and everyone he crossed paths with. Opportunities could appear out of thin air if one was willing to see them and make them work out, and Rumpelstiltskin wouldn't be foolish to let them pass.

So when he heard of El Zorro and his adventures, he proposed a deal.

If the hero wasn't too drunk to listen, then perhaps, just perhaps, things would've been kinder to his life.

Not that Rumpelstiltskin cared anyway.

One night, he found the very depressed hero fallen on a very dark and dirty alley. He took him to _la mansion_ _D_ _e La Vega_ , where the servants had not noticed their master's absence, though some whispered about his self-destructive behaviour.

" _No para de beber_ ," said a servant woman. " _Y ya no come más. Solo quiere saber de beber y luchar. Ni siquiera mujeres le son interesantes. Ya no es ese hombre lleno de orgullo que un día conocíamos_."

Rumpelstiltskin listened to the conversation as his eyes didn't leave the nobleman snoring on a large bed placed on the centre of a very large master room. The smell of the cheapest ale was very strong, and certainly incoherent with a man of such social status.

But Don Diego snored louder, and his mind had no dreams.

Rumpelstiltskin walked around the room to distract himself. The man would not wake up until the next three hours and nothing would make him wake up sooner.

Opening the closet, he saw the various copies of his vigilante clothes. He noted the diversity of weapons and accessories, long a hat and many masks.

A loud snore made him leap, and he scoffed the man's condition.

Love was a weakness, and it was the love of a woman who turned the famous El Zorro into a drunk imbecile. Rumpelstiltskin would kill him if he was not so necessary to his plans.

But the Saviour needed to be pure of intentions, and only the one with the blood of a dragon could withstand darkness so dense.

And if Maleficent couldn't even recognize her twin flame, then Rumpelstiltskin would turn him into the dragon she longed for.

The price would be paid by their daughter.

* * *

 _(Storybrooke General Hospital - Psychiatric Ward)_

"He made a deal."

Which was no surprise at all considering who they were talking about. But the anger would not go away because Lily finally saw herself as just a pawn in the middle of a chess game played by a maniac who decided to destroy the lives of thousands of people simply to find a son who would die shortly thereafter.

"Your mother is very demanding when it comes to, well, everything. She wouldn't just choose a random guy to share her life with. She even couldn't anyway—dragon _twin flame_ and all."

Lily hated having him talking so freely about her mother...or dragons, for the matter. He had no such right, he had no honour. He was nothing more than a filthy little mother fucker that didn't even heart had a heart. Only pride in deeds that were not his, and envy of people who would surely always be better than him.

"How did my mother found him?"

Isaac smirked, "The Blue Fairy."

August almost jumped, "Blue? Really?"

Isaac raised an eyebrow at Lily, "You mother sure kept many things from you, didn't she?"

"She told me enough." The dragon spat.

"But not enough to satisfy your need."

Nothing that Maleficent said would satisfy her need to know the truth.

"Reul Ghorm came to her one night...when she made a wish upon a star."

* * *

 _(The Enchanted Forest - MANY YEARS AGO)_

The Blue Fairy always knew she was only able to grant the wish of someone with a pure heart.

So you might wonder her surprised when one night she was called to the Forbidden Fortress.

"There must be a mistake." She told herself in a murmur.

The night was cold, though it was not yet winter, and the fairyland was silent if it were not for the humming of the crickets. The Blue Fairy was already getting ready to sleep when she saw the light shining in the sky.

In a quick spell she got dressed and followed the magic of the pure heart that made a wish that seemed so simple.

But upon seeing the Forbidden Fortress, she concluded that it must a prisoner, a lost soul who had the bad luck of being captured by the Mistress of All Evil.

The Blue Fairy had never crossed paths with Maleficent, but she knew of her story and had great respect for those who had raised her. In any case, she could not ignore her cruel deeds, less her diabolical curse, and always instructed the other fairies not to approach the lair of one of the Queens of Darkness.

She flew to the dungeons and nothing there was found that was not drunk guards, laughing as they played cards. Some fought, others slept, and purity lacked.

The small village a few miles from there gave her no answers either. Even though the bandits had plundered the place, the pure soul who made the wish upon a was not there, and the Blue Fairy was slow to notice that the further she flew from the fortress, the more the light shining in the sky diminished.

So she flew back to the fortress, and finally sighted, standing on the balcony of the highest tower, the solitary figure of a woman whose past was full of crimes and sins, and whose heart, by a miracle or madness, had found purity enough for a wish.

When she addressed the sorceress, the Blue Fairy noticed her own indignation, for stars were not mistaken. But how could Maleficent have a pure heart to wish for a child?

"You know better than I there is no one here but me."

The sorceress realized the fairy's presence before her arrival. She did not bother, nor did she even address her, keeping her gaze focused on the stars in the sky, waiting for a miracle.

"I can only be summoned by those who own a pure heart."

The Blue Fairy hovered next to the sorceress, noticing for the first time how the star in the sky blinked, such was its light. She had found the one with a pure heart.

It only remained for her to accept this.

"Briar Rose took that from me a long time ago."

All the fairies knew of her tragic history, the betrayal of Briar Rose, the loss of the connection to her twin flame, the origin of her curse. It was not, and it would never be, a justification for her actions against anyone, but to know was to understand her hatred.

"I can't cure your condition, Maleficent."

The sorceress let out a short laugh, accompanied by a long sigh. She put her hands on the stone railing on the balcony, her voice growing harsh and low, "Then why are you here?"

The Blue Fairy cleaned her throat, "Apparently your heart was pure when you made your wish."

Maleficent turned to face her, "A wish you surely aren't willing to grant, as well you didn't grant Regina a chance to find her soul mate."

The Blue Fairy would never admit her mistake, "The Evil Queen had no will to leave her past behind."

"And I do?"

"You tell me."

The sorceress closed her eyes, and her rigid posture fell apart, giving way to the broken-hearted woman she had always been.

"You don't understand, do you?" she asked in a pathetic whisper, "I lost my twin flame" and the tears formed in her eyes, "...the bound is gone." and her voice broke, "I can never find him..." and her breath became fast in despair, "...I've lost the chance of becoming a mother."

The Blue Fairy said nothing, because nothing could be said to comfort the woman. For what she had lost had been too much, had been the result of cowardice by a selfish princess, taking advantage of the innocence of the apprentice of a dragon healer, poisoning her wine in order to steal her connection, and thus find her own soul mate while young Bethany lost hers.

Maleficent never recovered—for she was in mourning for what she never had. The light that shone in the sky gave her hope as small as the mustard seed, and it would have turned into a gigantic tree in case there was rain to make life sprout out of a lifeless heart.

She burst into tears, holding her hand to her mouth to suppress sobs, her eyes closed so tightly that the tears bathed her now reddened cheeks. The rest of her body trembled, not from cold, but from anguish and fear.

She was drunk in her own solitude.

* * *

 _(Storybrooke General Hospital - Psychiatric Ward)_

Lily was sitting next to Isaac by now, eyes fixed on nothingness. The former author kept looking at her every five seconds, unsure of her actions to be. But the young woman did not even move, just tried at all costs to organize everything she was told.

August stood worried and distressed, watching Lily closely.

"Did the Blue Fairy find my father?" She asked suddenly, not seeming to realize what she had done.

Isaac scoffed, "She played _matchmaker_. And I know," He looked at August, "It's creepy."

Lily's eyes did not leave the asylum's dark floor as her brows drew together and she asked, "How?"

The actual question was why.

"Pixie dust." Isaac replied. "Tinkerbell did the same to Regina once. Blue was pissed. But she's the boss, so the rules don't exactly work for her. She's the _'do things my way or else'_ type. Plus, she owned your mother a wish."

"But it didn't work." Lily concluded.

"Not in the way you may think."

* * *

 _(The Enchanted Forest - MANY YEARS AGO)_

"Why are you following me?"

Maleficent woke up with an unbearable migraine hammering her head. It was not the consequence of all the alcohol she'd ingested, though that was enough cause, but a combination of the toxicity of hallucinogenic mushrooms, seawater and a drop of her sleeping curse.

The pain was throbbing, coming in waves that lasted for long seconds till disappearing for a moment and then coming back even stronger. All her senses became more sensitive—any noise stabbed her ears, tastes were bitter, her skin burned at the mere touch of her robes, her eyes could not stand the light of the fireplace, and the smell of food became unbearable.

But nothing was worse than the sense of loss, the emptiness in her chest, and her mind was creative in reminding her that she would always be alone. Madness did not come because dragons were immune to this—and so she mourned, for perhaps she if lost her mind amid delusions, only perhaps, her body might rest amid the dreams of a disturbed soul.

It was all in vain—a selfish desire, to want to throw a life of efforts and studies by the loss of a love that she never had. But it was by this love that all the effort was made—so that what purpose her powers had if her goal would not be fulfilled?

Maleficent knew who she was—young Regina reminded her of it. She helped her to get her revenge.

But to what point? How much uselessness. For to know who you are means to understand what you want from now on, and the only thing Maleficent ever wanted to have was the only thing she could not have. Which made all of her revenge against Briar Rose something totally stupid.

Her enemies suffered, and she still felt the same emptiness in her heart, for to see her enemies suffer would not bring back what they took from her.

She felt depressed again, and alone.

Sometimes she did not sleep. She would look at the stars, or fly across the skies. At other times, she would lie on the couch near the fireplace because it was the warmest place in her castle. Then, she would get up late in the afternoon, her stomach complaining loudly, and she fed on the fruits she grew in her gardens.

Bathing in a river was the time of day that she liked best. The cold water allayed her aching joints, and she even smiled remembering the times when she jumped in the river, to the despair of her aunts, who feared she would drown. But it was so natural that she cared little for their complains.

Whenever she felt alone, she would lay next to the river, the tall grass hiding her naked body from glances, and her gaze was lost in blue of the sky, and she wondered if her twin flame was also seeing a rabbit in the clouds, or a horse, or a sword.

Now, instead of clouds, her eyes were lost in the night sky, knowing that yes, her twin flame also could see the same constellations.

He just did not know the falling stars were her tears.

"You made a wish."

She was on her way home when the Blue Fairy found her. She was tired and hungry, with no patience for tricks, and no hope that things would change.

"A wish you can't fulfil."

Maleficent could only have the children of her twin flame. But Briar Rose poisoned her, stealing her connection, and thus making her loss any hopes of ever finding her twin flame, or of him finding her.

"But you do want to find him, yes?"

The sorceress sighed. The taste of her mouth was bitter, because maybe she vomited a few times. Maybe she was sick. Maybe it was all this and a little more.

She would not admit anything.

"I want a child," she said. "Not a relationship."

"And ignore that he is destined to love you." The Blue Fairy flew close, and it was when Maleficent noticed a small porch in her hands. She could feel the magic inside it, and frowned, surprised by the fairy's attitude. "How is that any fair?"

"I won't be dictated to be with him."

"This is about fate." The Blue Fairy said. "And is destined to love you as you are destined to love him."

Maleficent was silent. Inside her heart, she knew that the main reason because she didn't relationships was because she wouldn't take the heartbreak lightly. She never took things lightly. And she knew that, if she got involved with someone, she would have to tell him the truth about her past sooner or later, and she feared, yes, that her twin flame would abandon her to discover the horrible things she'd done. Because she could not undo the curse she imposed on Aurora even if she wanted to, and nothing in the world would make her turn back on her decision.

Also, she knew she could love that way only if someone taught her. If his twin flame was a good man, he would not want to be with her. If he was a villain, he would lead them both to a path of destruction. Maleficent just wanted peace—a happy ending. She just wanted her twin flame so they could have a child. He was a means to an end. Dragons were lonely anyway. She didn't own him anything. They didn't need to be together. Just to have children together.

The Blue Fairy understood her point of view, and did not approve of it.

"Also, there is the matter of your child."

"My children shall have all chances to be with their father." she promised—after all, it would be _her_ who would not have contact with him. To avoid a broken heart.

The Blue Fairy sighed, "You won't make this easier, won't you?"

"I do _not_ want him." She convinced herself of this from the moment Briar Rose cut of her connection with her twin flame. Because it was easier to believe she didn't want him than falling in love to later lose him.

The Blue Fairy was exasperated, "That only complicates matters unnecessarily."

Maleficent returned to her walk, "Was that all?"

The Blue Fairy stopped right in front of her, interrupting her walk. She opened the purse in her hands, "Pixie dust does not dictate anything. It just shows possibilities. Now, be still."

The fairy a pinch of pixie dust and threw all over Maleficent's body. The sorceress stood watching as a trail of dust rose to the heavens, forming a a golden path. She frowned as she realized that the trail stopped just a few feet away from her, and her heart stopped with the possibility of her twin flame being so close.

"He—"

"In another realm, I fear." Maleficent quickly turned to the fairy, not helping looking anxious and hopeful. The Blue Fairy smiled softly, feeling sympathetic, "You know as well as I do that there are several realms, in which time runs differently. It seems to me that your soul mate is in one of them."

Maleficent's heart broke, to soon after recover as an idea formed in her head. She might know how to travel between realms, but she knew someone who had a metal machine that could ease her work. The only problem was that the number of realms was very diverse, she would spend some time looking for and certainly there was not enough pixie dust for that.

"I'm going to need more pixie dust." The Blue Fairy looked at her uncertainly, and the sorceress explained her plan, "Cruella has a machine that can travel between realms. A gift from an admirer. I can throw the pixie dust on it, and it will take me to the realm where my twin flame is."

It could also make the car fly, but pixie dust works in different ways depending on the intent of the person who uses it.

"Very well," Agreeing to the plan, the Blue Fairy deposited some pixie dust on the sorceress' hands, "Good luck."

Maleficent was smiling before she realized, "Thank you."

The Blue Fairy frowned, "Oh, I still think you should consider giving this relationship a try. A soul bound is a sacred connection and so rare. Besides, the wish of a pure heart deserves to be completely fulfilled."

And then, she disappeared, leaving Maleficent alone in the middle of a forest of pines.

The sorceress did not hesitate to leave her fortress behind to follow the well known path to a land of clocks and cars and fur cloaks.

She found Cruella as the mistress of a landlord. She was sewing a new fur coat—bear cubs—because winter was at door and Dalmatians would not do.

"I need a favour."

Cruella took a shot of her cigarette and continued to sew, "And why do you think I would help you, darling?"

Maleficent smirked, "I might have something that can make you live forever."

The noise from the sewing machine ceased.

* * *

 _(Storybrooke General Hospital - Psychiatric Ward)_

Lily nearly face palmed. It was one thing to admit that her mother was a difficult person—and that would not be difficult to understand, for she was stubborn, and too much—but it was another thing to admit that all that complexity of intertwined stories had only happened because she was proud too much to admit that her future was not what she wanted.

Taking into account her past, little or no guilt could be found in her actions. Fear was something that made people foolish.

Honestly, Lily felt like even laughing.

Because it was STUPID.

Then again, her life had never been simple, so why did she think that her parents were?

She _did_ take after them.

"Then they met?" She turned to face Isaac, no longer wanting to waste the time her parents insisted on creating.

"There was a mask ball, a courtesy of Don Diego himself. Your mother attended. They were…smitten to each other from moment one. They talked little, danced and flirted a lot. Very Cinderella like, because she refused to give him a name and refused to know his."

"And till she didn't know he was her twin flame?" August asked.

Isaac shook his head, " _Nope._ But he felt the connection. And if you think that Lolita broke Don Diego's heart, pff, know that Maleficent established a new pattern for that. She didn't give a _damn_ —"

His head hit the wall again, making a loud noise, and he was dizzy. Lily was fisting his hair, practically shattering his soul. Her jaw tightened hard, and the veins in her neck jumped. This time, August did not stop her. He owed Isaac no kindness, "What. Happened. Next." She gritted her teeth, words sounding like the hiss of a serpent.

An irony which did not go unnoticed by the Author, who struggled to move against the hold on his hair, "He met your mother as _El Zorro_!" He said desperately, "She saved him, in fact. Then he was really in love. Powerful women were always his type." He wanted to sound funny, but the way Lily's glare fell upon him, attempt to kill him, made his smile disappear and he cleaned his throat, "Anyway, she saved him from a group of men. An interesting battle, I might add. Maleficent was a very good strategist. I was quite impressed. Then, she left. Again."

Lily let go of him again, frowning, "Just like that?"

Isaac was massaging the back of his head, "He was human, so she didn't want anything to do with him. He didn't impress her. Naturally, Don Diego was devastated."

Lily was silent.

"You weren't expecting your father to be a romantic, were you?"

Was she really?

"What next?"

"As you may already conclude, another broken heart messed up his mind for real. Then the Dark One happened." He looked at Lily, "They made a deal: Becoming a dragon for one night so he would be with her. It did not take long for your mother to understand that the black-scaled dragon was the guy she'd been looking all her life for, but she's always had a terrible fear of men, so she asked him to be away till you were born." Lily was staring at him with wide eyes, obviously not aware of the supposed story behind this fear of humans. Isaac soon fixed his words, "There is no trauma behind it, really, beside Briar Rose's betrayal. Plus, she was afraid for you."

Lily's eyes narrowed, "For me?"

 _Whatever for?_

"Didn't want to lose you."

Lily opened her mouth to retort something meaningless, but nothing came as she realized the incoherence her response would have, and she had to pause and force herself to think of something better.

The author's reasoning would have been logical if her mother had not sounded so passionate when she spoke of her father's figure. If her eyes had not shone in such a clear blue hue, if her smile from happy memories had not dissolved in the face before the truth that the one who guarded her heart was not by her side.

Yet— "She regretted it all."

She fell in love, but was too afraid to admit it.

"Bingo, she solved the riddle," Isaac remarked sarcastically. "She was a bit paranoid when she became pregnant with you. So much that she decided to resurrect ancient traditions no one followed anymore. Not even dragons."

Lily sighed, holding her head on her hands, "By making him staying away from her." She concluded.

Isaac felt almost sorry for her, "Dragons, or at least those that are left, do not do that anymore. It's stupid, anyway. The female becomes more vulnerable, and this—"

"—attracts trouble." Lily interrupted him sharply. She did not want to start thinking about what could have been avoided if her mother had not been so proud. "She said that dragons have isolated lives."

"Well, yes, but that ends when they find their twin flame. Your mother denied this out of fear."

Lily hated that Isaac knew more about her mother than herself, but it was understandable that he knew, having written her story…and then ruining it all at once.

 _"He sent gifts through his men…"_ The memory came aloud. "Then _Diablo_ —"

"Yeah, he thought a unicorn would be more useful than a horse, since dragons live too long, and a horse would not stand a chance. He even sent the suggestion of a name on a note. He knew your mother was supposedly evil, so Diablo it was. It means _Devil_ in Spanish."

 _Well, fuck._

"Then _what?"_

Lily was becoming exasperated. She just couldn't believe her birth was reduced to some melodramatic soap opera.

"He literally did everything he could to impress her. But he knew she wanted a dragon, so he kept pretending he was one. Then, the _nuptial flight_ happened and you, the miracle of True Love, were created. And—ugh, that's the actual words on the book."

 _Oh?_

"This is written on the book?" August asked. "I didn't find anything about it."

Isaac offered him a pointed look, "You may find different books for everyone. I wouldn't wrote about your mother and Briar Rose on the same book I wrote about Rumpelstiltskin and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, so you won't find about your parents on the same book I wrote about Snow White and Prince Charming." Isaac smiled not so modestly, quite proud of his deeds. "As Author, I naturally witnessed it all. One of the most traumatic fairy tales I've ever seen. It has the essential tones of drama, betrayal and revenge. A bestseller if written properly. But villains, you know how they are like—it's all about power, revenge and the death of my enemies! They never seem to grasp good opportunities, even if throw at their faces. Your father agreed to stay away so he would have time to prepare territory for the _big reveal_ —that he has been lying about his true nature all the time. And no, I didn't create that part out of nowhere, although I have to admit that selfish heroes do make excellent stories."

 _Of course_ he would say that.

"How did he managed to send gifts through realms?"

"That was Rumpelstiltskin again."

And now Lily lost her patience, "And why would the Dark One help my Dad?"

It was but a moment before all blood left Isaac's face.

"I...I know nothing about that."

Lily and August shared a look.

"You mean you don't want to tell me." said the young woman.

Isaac raised his hands in self defence, "Look, just listen to me okay?" Neither of them said a thing, which he took as a sign to speak out, "Since I got this job, I learned that magic doesn't work with coincidences. Which means, there is not. Fate plays with us and we all end up doing what we were supposed to be. I don't know if your parents were meant to be together. But _you_ were meant to be born, and if you are what brought them together, then surprise, surprise—you might do it again. Honestly, I wish fairy tales weren't that predictable."

The true was: Rumpelstiltskin needed a vessel to the Saviour's darkness and Lily was the perfect candidate, and talked Isaac into doing what he wanted. But there was _no_ way Isaac was telling Lily this. He feared too much for his life.

"Was my father cursed too?" Lily _finally_ asked.

"I can't say what happened later, cause, well, I was trapped, as you now know. A waste, really. I wish I had—"

" _Shut_ _the fuck_ _up_."

Isaac was offended by the young dragon's lack of manners. But Lily owed him nothing, and all the help he offered her through free and spontaneous pressure and an obligation that would not at all compensate for all the evil he had done to her.

As for Dark One, she would deal with him later.

Right now, she would run to Granny's and ask for the most valuable information of her life.

She felt herself smiling like a fool, and forced herself to stop, crossing her arms over chest and lowering her head. August's touch on her arm made her look up. He was looking at her curiously.

"Are you alright?" He asked, and she really felt like kissing him senseless. It was not a new impulse, since she had always been driven by unscrupulous thoughts, but as the few beautiful things in her life, especially since she knew it was something mutual.

Lily smiled softly at him, "Now I am."

And August's eyes grew even bluer and gentler, and Lily was drawn to his warmth.

She hoped time would only strengthen their connection.

"Well, now—" Isaac's voice again broke the magical atmosphere between them, and the couple glanced back at him, "—that you know everything, I suppose you can get me out of here."

Lily laughed without thinking.

"I don't think so."

Quickly, she took him by the arm and tossed him back into his cell, closing the door with a spell. When he realized that he was locked, Isaac ran to the door, hitting on it with both hands, shouting, "We had a deal!"

Lily walked down the hallway when she said, "I don't remember promising you anything about your freedom."

* * *

 _('May Flowers' floriculture, near Storybrooke's northwest border)_

Everything was going well as it always was in the fields of flowers of the May sisters. The shop opened early, and several people stopped by, charmed by the bouquets arranged by Flora.

Around noon, Fauna prepared lunch in the kitchen, humming to herself as she sliced two chicken breasts into a large plate.

Setting the table for herself and her sisters, she grew impatient as the youngest wouldn't just show up to eat, "Forget that dress already, sister!"

But Merryweather was stubborn and easily distracted, so when she heard a bell ringing, she ran out to answer whomever it was at their door, hands still clutching the dress she was trying to fix.

As she opened the door, her hands grew dumb, and everything fell to the floor.

"Oh, my goodness!"

A tall, blonde woman forced a smile, "Hello, Aunt Merryweather."

* * *

 **A/N: So yeah, it's Zorro. Not going to lie here, I loved that. _#SpanishDragon_ shipper!**

 **Small spoiler? Yes, Don Diego _IS_ in Storybrooke! And he is a sweetie!**


	8. Cold as Blood - Part V

**A/N: So, I'm alive? I just moved to another house and hell, everything is a mess. Also, I almost cut off my own finger in an accident, so I couldn't write for a long time. ANYWAY, this is finally ready. Hope you enjoy.**

* * *

 _Part V: For your love, there is no goodbyes._

"Lily?"

There was a warmth in her chest at the strong yet kind presence by her side, so you might guess what a question didn't do to her heart.

They had left the hospital's psychiatric ward in a hurry—or rather Lily had, and August just followed her. A lot of things went through her head, and the penny dropped as she passed the front door and came upon the sight of the city she could call __home__.

The cold wind hit her hair, and she closed her eyes, standing there in the middle of people coming into and out the hospital.

"Lily."

She had her arms folded, suddenly cold and frightened, as she silently walked to the parking lot next to the hospital.

August was immediately worried at her attitude, and touching her arms with such gentle hands, which seemed to burn at the mere touch, the young woman stopped, shuddered, and fixed her gaze on anything but his face, aware of the question he had for her, but unable to answer it.

For it was all too surreal.

Her father could be anywhere—and it was only a matter of time before she could know whether to meet him would be a simple or almost impossible job.

She could not stop her heart from being filled with hope at the possibility of getting to know him on that very day. But the darkness was astute enough to plant the seed of doubt in the deepest corners of her soul, and the young woman was faced with a downfall of emotions.

For if he were not in the city, her father could be in one of several kingdoms out there. Probably dead, or very old, since it had been thirty years, and he had no magic. However, that was no guarantee he was alive, in the first place. And if he had been cursed into town, to live as the opposite version of himself as everyone there, then the brave and good man from __19th century Los Angeles__ turned as badly as anyone could've been.

Was he a criminal? If so, why did he do nothing do when the curse was broken? Why didn't he try to avenge his family? Did he even know what happened to them? What the __un-Charmings__ did to his child?

Lily was aware that, if alive, her father most likely believed that his family was gone for good. It made her insecure, because if in town, how was she supposed to just show up and tell him that she was his long lost child?

Questions and more questions to be answered and Lily was not sure if she wanted them to be.

"I didn't think—I mean, I knew, but—"

" _ _Reality shock?"__

And __of course__ August understood. He remembered how exciting it was to be able to find his father after so many years of solitude. For Lily, it was more frightening than beautiful, for she was about to meet a completely stranger.

"It's gonna be okay."

Lily wished to believe him, "You heard what he said." Her eyes still avoided his, and he didn't mind this time, knowing that she was too uncomfortable for any other kind of intimacy. "Dad lied because he was scared to death. Mom was too stubborn and proud because she was scared to death. Both were stupid to see what was literally in front of them and that fucked up __everything__."

She had every right to be frustrated. For the __what could have been__ would haunt her for the rest of her days. She had no wish for such thoughts to take her sleep as they did for so many years. She wanted to enjoy on the bright future she could have.

If that didn't make her even more frightened, there was the feeling hammering in her mind that something bad was about to happen—because it always did.

"You fear for your mother?" August asked.

Lily gritted her teeth in an anger that was fed through the darkness. Since when she was that obvious?

"She's not the forgiven type." She said, trying to sound kind—what an understatement.

"So you think she's going to react badly to the news?"

Lily snorted, "Don't you?"

Sure, putting lightly, Maleficent might not like finding out she was lied to for so many years.

Being her kid, Lily knew better.

 _ _Aka__ —Maleficent was going to be furious.

But ugh, who she's kidding? She would blame herself because had she not been so stubborn and proud about __'wanting a child, but__ __not a relationship'__ , then her daughter's life wouldn't have been so negatively affected.

Lily, however, didn't blame her. Her past was painful enough—she couldn't expect her to trust people suddenly, especially considering that __El Zorro__ was an unknown tale to her life. Also, Maleficent never condoned Lily for any trust issuers. Lily felt like she owned her mother the same level of mercy and understanding.

"It has been many years. Maleficent might consider that."

"She wouldn't even if she was in a good mood." She didn't even know why she was confessing such intimate things to a man she had known for less than a week. She definitely wouldn't had August not made her feel so safe, or gave her reason not to. But she had considered Emma as a sister in only one day of coexistence, so her sudden friendship with August was not surprising.

After all, when dragons love, they love with everything they had.

"Hey..." August rested his hands on her shoulders and again she stiff, self-defensive posture fell apart, and she was now able to look at him. And she would lose herself in this crystal blue sea without thinking twice if her life was not so complicated already.

Maybe someday she might.

She had to start being optimistic about something anyway.

"It's gonna be okay." She tried to protest, but he touched her chin, and her eyes almost closed, "It's gonna be okay." He repeated, "I promise."

And she believed him.

"I need to get to Granny's." She spoke, and did not even try to pull away. August smiled at her and nodded.

His bike was parked few feet away.

* * *

Their house was considerably small for three people as roomy as Maleficent remembered her aunts were. The three sisters, however, being uncontrollably organized and methodical, had everything settled in their proper place, even though there was no room left for any further additions.

Coloured decorations ran through the place—all very characteristic of the three fairies, and one could see the touch of each in every corner—the kitchen cabinets filled with herbs because Fauna kept her garden in the backyard; flowerpots on the windows because Flora loved showing off her work; the hand-made wool covers over literally all chairs, and paintings of landscapes scattered across the walls since Merryweather would spent time painting or knitting near the fireplace on a cold winter night.

Maleficent avoided at all costs thinking about looking for them. She didn't feel ready, and was sure that Lily wasn't—at least, not to understand that her family extended beyond her mother's presence. Especially since her aunts were overly loving and meddlesome, so they would not be able to give Lily enough time to adapt to so many changes. Maleficent feared that so much pressure could have driven her daughter away, as Lily was perennially inexperienced with human relations of any kind—at least, not with the healthy kind.

Her aunts would have spoiled the girl to no ends, and Maleficent had considered, back in the Enchanted Forest, that once her baby was born, she would pay her aunts a visit, and make emends for once and for all. Had the couple of idiots not decided to be selfish, her daughter would have meet her great-aunts.

But nothing went according to plan.

Maleficent was surprised when Lily showed interest in meeting her great-aunts, though she knew it was more out of curiosity than the desire to build any emotional bonds. She tried to stifle the matter for a few weeks, fearing that something bad was about to happen.

The shot in her heart was the answer, and Maleficent found herself forced to face her past again.

Finding chinks of her aunts' unashamed magic was an easy task, especially when she knew exactly where to look—a wooden house by the side of the road, surrounded by a short white fence, a small chimney modestly emitting a shy smoke, and an orchard in the backyard. The flower shop was right beside it, and a sign with large, elegant letters caught her attention first...

 _ _May Flowers__

Maleficent remembered her childhood, how many times she was enchanted by the village near the forest where she had been raised.

She couldn't help a small smile that ended up dissolved by a deep breath and the beginning of a headache. She went first to the flower shop, finding the sign ' _ _closed for lunch__ '. The aroma of that vegetable soup she adored was everywhere, and Maleficent talked over to the little house, past the old orange 1951 Chevrolet 3100 Classic Pickup Truck parked at the front of the house.

Knocking at the door, she heard the murmurs from within, and waited until Merryweather answered.

 _ _"Oh, my goodness!"__

Maleficent forced a smile, "Hello, Aunt Merryweather."

She was so old, and much shorter, without the glamour of a fairy's robes, hair already filled in white shades, and wearing characteristically bluish-coloured clothing. The strong and stubborn personality still persisted, and the excitement one would expect in a reunion after so many decades was tempered by a laugh.

"And they called me a __crazy bitch__ for feeling your magic." She pointed a finger at the sorceress, "But I __knew__ you weren't dead! I knew it!"

Maleficent's upcoming question was interrupted by a voice coming from the kitchens, __"Sister, who is at door?"__

Merryweather laughed more, mentioning Maleficent to come in. The sorceress hesitated, very surprised and suspicious at her aunt's behaviour. She was never easy to read, but something was off.

 _ _"Sister?"__ The voice approached, its owner putting down the knife on the kitchen table to go to the living room, wiping her hands on a damp cloth. "I thought I heard— _ _Bethany?!"__

The sorceress chose to wait for a better reaction before saying anything. She always had a preference for the fairy in greenish robes, yes, but they hadn't talked in more than three decades.

Again, she forced a smile, "Aunt Fauna."

The fairy approached her niece without thinking twice, touching her arms and hair, and Maleficent reacted to nothing as she watched the tears form in her eyes. Fauna looked fragile and so lonely, "But h-how? The Blue Fairy said—"

"The Dark One resurrected me."

Merryweather's voice was slightly amused, "Dragons...breaking rules as they see fit." She looked at Fauna, pointing at their niece, "I did say she was alive! I did! And none of you believed me! Where is Flora?" She opened the window and shouted to the backyard, "Sister, your old bag, come here! You own me fifty bucks!"

When Flora didn't answer immediately, Merryweather left the house to search for her sister.

Maleficent turned to Fauna with a raised eyebrow, and the fairy sighed, "She's rather...enthusiastic. Bets on everything. Flora said it's her age. The doctor said it is a progressive disease. Memory loss at first, but with late-stage, she'll lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to her environment. Currently, she's obsessed with bright colours, hence the so many painting in the walls."

The sorceress' eyes widened a little, alarmed, "There isn't a cure?"

Fauna smiled sadly, "There are medications for memory. As to her behaviour, we try to avoid being confrontational or arguing about facts—which is the hardest part to Flora, you can bet." Maleficent chose silence, her past experiences with Flora being enough response, "As to others, we try to redirect her attention, avoid noise, glare, insecure space and too much background distraction, including television."

"Yet she felt my magic." Maleficent commented.

"Oh, she wouldn't stop arguing whatever you're alive or not." Fauna's eyes gazed down at her hands, describing shame, "We didn't believe her. Deduced to be wishful thinking. But your aunt always had a stronger sense when it comes to you."

Maleficent was the one to sigh, "Things haven't been easy." She bit the inside of her cheek, uncertain whether she should reveal her daughter's existence or not. Lily had developed an excellent sense of direction, and Maleficent was very proud of it. However, it would mean that at some point, within hours maybe, the young woman would find her mother—and her aunts would probably faint upon discovering that they had a 'little girl' to spoil rotten.

"There is something I must tell you."

Fauna nodded, wiping her eyes from tears that wouldn't stop forming, "I could say the same." She looked up, and her niece was smiling sadly.

Another voice called their attention, covering the sob Fauna allowed to escape, and in hurried footsteps, the third sister emerged from the door that led to the backyard, Merryweather right behind her.

"Sister, can you explain what—" Like her sisters, her eyes widened, but unlike them, there was the coldness that often made Bethany tremble. "Oh."

 _ _Flora.__

Always the tough one.

Merryweather frowned, thinking of criticizing her reaction and already starting a fight, but Fauna immediately intervened, "Please, forgive your aunt." She paused in a need. "Neither of us were expecting you to—" She sobbed again, and pulled the sorceress into a tight embrace. "Oh my, come here."

Maleficent just let her. She enveloped Fauna in her arms, resting her chin on the top of her head. In high heels, she grew even taller than her aunts.

"We missed you, my dear." Fauna cried. "We missed you so much."

And Maleficent would be lying if she said the feeling wasn't mutual.

* * *

"My love. My beloved."

It was 14th, and as usual, for the last four years since the Dark Curse had been broken, Diego de La Vega would visit his family.

"I hope you're well."

He always carried white flowers, representing the peace he prayed every day his family had met with death.

"Odette gave birth to a colt, black and strong, just like its father. Diablo seemed to feel that his colt will be a great competitor like him."

He always told them about his life. It was foolish to the point of view of some, for they would not hear—and he knew that if they could, they would know little about his activities. They rested in happy place, far from the cruelties of a world that took them from him.

"The Annual Championship will began in four weeks. I wonder what you would think of all this."

But his longing burned within him, and he hated himself for failing, for not being enough, for not having had the courage and simply telling the truth, for not being a man as he was expected to be.

Now he was alone in a world that seemed to be full of opportunities, but he would not add to it except for the sheer pain of the loss of the two people he loved most in his life.

"Would you hate it, wouldn't you?"

He did not get to know her as he should. They wrote letters, and he sent her gifts of all kinds, but he was also so afraid of her rejection, allowing himself to be led by the manipulation of a man wearing a crocodile skin. Today he lived in regret it and knew that it did not matter—the woman of his life was dead. And with her, the daughter of the love he felt for her.

"The horses are ready. They will bathe on the day before. The employees are anxious, as I am, it will be my first competition. It is a very important event for the farm."

On the few nights he was lucky enough not to be tormented by nightmares about the Dark Curse being cast, Diego dreamed of a little girl with olive skin and black hair and hazel eyes that, wearing a smile that lacked a few milk tooth, would sweetly ask, __'Papa, where is my unicorn?'__

He had spent a small fortune to find a unicorn. His child deserved the best, and he wanted to spoil his baby with everything he had.

The unicorn was in the stables of his farm, and nobody could tame him. Diego knew that it was a response to the fact that his actual mistress did not even have the chance to breathe from the air of the forest—she was raptured by the angels of heaven and played in the clouds.

The relief was in knowing that she did not suffer. It was quick. He did not know how it had happened, and hatred for himself increased with every thought that crossed his mind—for he would only know how his daughter was taken from his arms the moment he embraced her for the first time.

But before that, he should live for years until his death. Suicide would be a cowardly alternative which he considered countless times and would still consider from time to time, from waking up every morning in that cold, empty house, and looking to his side and not seeing the woman he loved? Not hearing his child's laughter running through the corridors? That was worse than condemnation to hell itself.

"The girl would love it. They say that kids always like animals so much and..."

He cried every time, falling on his knees before the grave bearing the name of his family.

"What do I do with my life without you, my love?" He was no longer the man he once was—he no longer had the same passion, or the same vanity, and would there be any reason to keep both? The reason for his life had been erased like an abandoned house in the middle of a hurricane…and he could do nothing but wait for the day of his death so he could be with his family again. "You didn't teach me to forget you. You only taught me to love you more and more."

She was the most fascinating woman he had ever known. On the night of the ball, he could not take his eyes off her, and he did not want to. The Dark One explained that it was part of the bond they shared. It was not something imposed upon them, but a kindness toward two souls who would love each other in the most powerful magic of all.

"Maybe one day I'll be worthy of you on the other side." He still cried, and let the tears wash the sorrow of his heart, "I know there's nothing... _ _nothing__ I can say to make up for my fault, I just..." His throat was soar and dry while his head burned and his cheeks felt cold as the wind of an upcoming storm bathed the tears of his face, "But I love you so much, you and our little girl." He touched the names engraved in silver to the white marble stone. "I'm sorry."

And so he did what he always has done for over many years already: he replaced the flowers for news ones, stood up and walked away.

His heart stayed with them.

* * *

 _ _Granny's__ was completely empty—something to do with people fearing the return of the now well-known Dark Swan.

It was not the first time Lily had faced the reality that her best childhood friend had become a monster who now terrorized the entire town with her selfishness and unconnected plans but it made her surroundings colder.

"Good to see you, Lily, August." Granny greeted them with a sad smile, having attended so few customers on that day. She cleaned the counter for what appeared to be the tenth time in less than an hour (in a way to busy her mind) when she asked, "How is Gepetto? Still complaining about that old knee?"

August chuckled, "Yeah. He can't stand doing nothing all day."

"As do we all." Granny said. "I'll pay him a visit. Might as well make that chicken soup he likes so much. On the house."

August nodded, "I appreciate the thought. He'll be very happy."

Granny smiled back, and turned to Lily, "What about your mother? I heard the news. How is she doing?"

Lily knew that the whole incident involving her mother and the judge's son had reached everyone's ears in the city—after all, it was the front page of the local newspaper.

"She's stubborn as hell."

Granny gave her a look of sympathy, "We get worse as time goes by." She joked and Lily smirked softly, for she knew those words were true, "So what's going to be? A snack, cake, perhaps a drink? Or maybe the Swan's special to warm your bones?"

Lily blinked, "Sorry, __what?"__

"Emma's favourite." August explained. "Cinnamon and chocolate."

Lily pressed her lips to avoid a smile. It was good to know that her hot chocolate recipe was still her friend's favourite, "I kinda need your help. About my father."

Granny's face lightened up so much that she stopped what she was doing, "Oh, you found him finally?"

"Not __where__ he is." Lily replied, "But I know __who__ he is."

"We thought that you may know him." August completed.

Granny leaned into the counter, not helping her curiosity, "And what's his name?"

"Diego de La Vega." Lily revealed, and her heart thudded harder at the reality of that name. " _ _El Zorro__."

Granny's eyes widened, and she rested her hands on the counter, "Well, that's..." She laughed lightly, discredited herself, and neither Lily nor August understood, "...that actually explains a lot."

"What? Why?" Lily was irritated by the smile on the old woman's face.

Granny shook her head, "I'm just surprised I never noticed before. You look just like him."

Lily knew she was blushing.

The information was...nice.

* * *

"What brings you here?"

Fauna served tea in an attempt of diplomacy that worked in a disturbingly good way. It was as if she pretended that there was no tension at all, knowing full well that if any fight broke out she would not know how to stop it.

"The Blue Fairy told me about you."

Merryweather snorted, "But of course, yes, she always keeps the information to herself. How dare she? We visited last week, and she said nothing about your return!"

"I didn't want anyone to find me and she knew it." Maleficent explained. "I'm living in the woods with—" she stopped herself before revealing what she knew was not the time.

Her aunts noticed her hesitation.

"You? Living with someone? Who?" Merryweather asked at once, and she did not look happy at all.

Flora stared at her in alarm, although her voice sounded oddly calm as she asked, "And this is a question to ask, sister?"

Merryweather waved her off, "She's no longer a little girl, and even if she's ignored us all this time," and offered Maleficent a stern look, and the sorceress raised an eyebrow, daring her to continue, "she very well knows that we care about her and whoever she is sleeping with."

Sure, Merryweather was never able to hold her tongue to her thoughts anyway, but that was too much.

"Her name's Lily—my __daughter__."

The three fairies gasped.

"You had another baby?!" Flora asked.

The proud smile spreading over her lips when talking about her child was replaced by a frown— _another?_ —and while Fauna clapped in joy, Merryweather was frowning, obviously confused, "But how? I thought you couldn't—"

Merryweather couldn't finish, as Fauna covered her mouth with a hand, "What your aunt is saying is that we are all surprised by such good news!"

Fauna was quickly pushed aside by her sister, who again pointed a finger at her niece, "How come she isn't with you?! If you were resurrected a few months ago, then little Lily is still a baby! I can't believe you'd be that irresponsible, Bethany!"

Maleficent prevented a laugh, limiting herself to pursed lips—she hated giving others any explanations, Lily being the only exception.

"She's thirty, at least." She said. "She was born before the Dark Curse."

Again, the three sisters gasped.

"Your first child is alive!" Flora concluded.

"She's alive!" Fauna exclaimed.

"But where is she?" Merryweather asked stubbornly.

And Maleficent answered, "With her twin flame. It won't take long before she finds me here, so you're all meeting her soon enough."

Another moment of silence reigned, and Merryweather, folding her arms, gave Maleficent a smirk, "Her twin flame, eh? She's less proud than you were then."

Fauna hide her face in her hands, "Sister..."

Merryweather shrugged, "It's the truth and don't even try to deny it."

Maleficent wasn't trying, "He was not relevant to me then." She said, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

Flora watched her for a moment with narrowed eyes, and then asked, "Is he now?"

Well, she did fell in love.

"Lily wants to find him."

Not that Maleficent was ready to acknowledge that out loud.

"Well," The fairy in green clothing sighed, and shared a knowing look with her sisters, who both nodded in agreement, before she looked back at the sorceress, and said, "He was here just a few hours ago."

The last time Maleficent's heart beat so loud and faster was when she was moments away from first meeting her daughter, her little girl so frightened on a cold day and among people who would not care if something bad happened to her.

"You might wonder why you have not felt his magic." Flora took her hand in an attempt of comfort, watching as the sorceress now trembled, "I'm afraid there is none left."

Maleficent's lips parted, and her quick breath became evident, "Is he...well?"

Did he know about her?

"He has been mourning your death for the last years, Bethany."

The name sounded wrong.

But she was at their home (which had been __her__ home once). And to them, she was the same little girl they raised in the forest. No matter if she was a woman already, a mother and a wife—they would call her as they always did, and Maleficent may think them wrong, but she knew she never stopped being cared for. They had mourned her death as well.

She could see it in their eyes so sad.

"Where can I find him?"

Flora smiled at her for the first time.

" _ _Nightfall Farm__."

* * *

Lily absolutely __hated__ graveyards.

She forcefully attended funerals twice in her life—after a friend of her adoptive parents died due cancer, and on the day she forged her own death—and she ended up feeling so sick.

 _ _Storybrooke Graveyard__ was like any other. Cold, gloomy, and filled with the smell of wet earth. Several tombstones and mausoleums covered the grass fields, all of which were practically protected by tall trees, forming shadows, and almost no sunlight touched the ground. Yet Lily wouldn't allow her distaste to such dreadful place to prevent her from walking past the main gate, August right on her side.

Finding what she was looking for wasn't difficult...

 _ ** _DE LA VEGA_**_

 _ ** _Bethany & Elena_**_

 _ ** _'They walk in beauty like the night of cloudless climes and starry skies.'_**_

Dizziness hit her stomach, eyes fixed on the name craved on the headstones, Lily tried to swallow her tears, her jaw tightening.

 _ _Damn. It. All.__

Sympathy was never her forte. She couldn't even say that she was taught about the true meaning of it. Of the people she had really cared about, all abandoned her. She lost hope of having someone to love her, and consequently of having someone she could love. Creating any kind of tie would then be a futility she would not give herself the luxury of—if she had the chance, in the first place.

Emma was the first exception. Lily today blamed the cursed darkness that only seemed to calm down when near its true owner.

Maleficent came later, and Lily cared so much about her that it hurt. They had such a strong bond of blood that it was surprising. They resembled many things, and differed in many things, but it was in these differences that Lily marvelled at how easily they could understand each other—at Maleficent's initiative. Lily has never seen herself as competent at doing anything about good when it comes to relationships.

August was a novelty she would only consider __after__ her problems had been resolved.

Which brought her to current one.

 _ _Don Diego de La Vega.__

Still of unknown location, but who would on every 14th day of the month visit the graves of his lost family.

Lily could only stand there and stare at what would have been her name and the pain in her chest brought tears to her eyes.

Because it had been three years of suffering to him.

Unable, she pulled away, hands to her head, and letting out a long sigh that revealed her broken breathing, she looked up at the overcast sky.

She recalled her whole life. From the lonely childhood in a house that was more empty than an abandoned shack in the middle of the desert. From a difficult adolescence under detention in the Youth Detention Centre. Earlier ages into adulthood on the streets, lost in drugs and alcohol, and then locked up in a rehabilitation clinic. Travelling to Canada in order to rob a casino in Toronto. Forging her death so she would not have to share the money left over. Emma. Storybrooke. Her mother and the most sincere love she had ever witnessed—mornings filled with the best food she ever had, afternoons of knowledge and nights of long conversations about memories or literally anything they wanted to share.

Then, the gun.

The three days awake.

August and his eyes.

The bloody Author.

And now her father.

 _ _Dad.__

The mysterious man who __once a month__ went down town to buy flowers—white lilies—and place them by the headstones of his family. No one there knew who he was, nor did he ever reveal his name.

But now Lily knew she had his eyes.

And she hoped to find him.

 _ _Now—__ if she could have a saying.

"Hey!"

Or, that's what she thought.

"Hey, you! Excuse me, can you help us?"

August had caught sight of a gravedigger, in his mid-fifties, woollen clothes and rubber boots and carrying a shovel in his hand.

The old man, wondering who those strange people were, walked to them in slow steps.

"Yeah?"

August introduced himself first, "Name's August." He held out his hand, and the man greeted him. "This is Lily."

The gravedigger glanced at Lily with curiosity and even concern, seeing the unhappy state she was in.

"I'm Pete. What's this about?"

The idea became a plan even before Lily could tell herself.

"Those flowers..." She pointed to the headstones. "They are still fresh. Someone put those flowers there. Recently."

The gravedigger nodded, and walked closer to the graves, propping the shovel on the ground. Suddenly, his face became wistful, "It's sad, is not it? To lose your family so soon?"

Lily's lips parted. She couldn't speak out, so August did it for her, "Did you know this family?" He asked.

"The father, yeah. He comes here every month. He was the only survivor and, well, can't just let go. It's sad, really."

" _ _Where__ is he?" Lily was clearly desperate. Her father thought his family was gone forever—she just couldn't allow that.

Pete, however, was suspicious—he knew the man and people coming after him couldn't be any good, "Why? Who are you people? I don't remember seeing you here before."

August pulled out his police badge, "I'm Sheriff Booth. Deputy sheriff, under Sheriff Nolan's orders. I'm helping Lily to find whoever places flowers in these headstones because it's very important to her to find this very person."

The gravedigger seemed to lower his guard a little when he saw the badge in August's hands, "The police, eh?" He scratched his beard, thoughtfully, "Has he done something wrong?"

"We just need to find him. We have some information in regards to his family."

Pete narrowed his eyes, watching them closely. When he turned to Lily, he was quick to notice to note how anxious and on the edge of a nervous breakdown she was.

"You..." Two seconds later, wondering from where her eyes looked familiar, the gravedigger asked, "Are you related to him?"

And Lily lost her temper.

Grabbing the gravedigger by the collar of his shirt, she pulled him close and said, "Listen here, you idiot—"

"Lily, wait." August, again, touched her arm and Lily's grip on his collar loosened, and she released him abruptly, "Calm down."

Now Pete looked afraid, "Look, I...I don't know what you guys want with him. But he's a good man, and he has suffered enough."

Lily stared at him scandalously, "You think I gonna hurt him?"

The gravedigger obviously did, "You say you know his family, when I know that they all died a long time ago, grant the graves."

"Do I look dead to you?!" Lily shouted at last, "I waited my whole life to find him! He's my father, _damn it!"_

Pete's tired eyes widened, and he understood from where he knew he knew that pair of eyes.

"Your...what?"

Lily rolled her eyes.

" _Shit,_ you look like him."

She approached him dangerously, "Tell me something I don't know. __Now.__ "

The gravedigger shared a look with August, who nodded at him, a tip to speak all he knew.

"He lives on a small farm on the other side of town." He told Lily. "North from here. Just follow the road."

 _ _Oh.__

Lily's angry demeanour dissolved entirely, "...a farm?"

"He's a horse-breeder. Said he's preparing for a great competition that's happening in about four weeks. Back in Topeka, Kansas."

 _ _Well, shit.__

* * *

 **A/N: Next chapter - they all meet at the farm and I can't promise happy moments. See ya!**


	9. Cold as Blood - Part VI

**A/N: Hey! Finally! Took me a real while to come with anything, honestly, I thought I wasn't able to finish this. But here we are! Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 _(Nightfall Farm - North to Storybrooke)_

Autumn was known to hold memories—as soon as you let them go, the old ones arrive in piles and if you take the wrong path, you're lost.

Diego recalled how his mother would scold him often, mostly for playing with the servants' children who were ordered to clean the stables. His father would spend afternoons discussing business and his tutors would praise his skill in battle. His lovers adored to walk beneath the golden touched trees.

The love of his heart, on her last letter, wrote a contemplation:

 _Love of my heart,_

 _If this letter reaches you, worry not, for we are safe._

 _Our child is healthy, as I am, although the tiredness lingers. A powerful magic can be felt in her, though. And yes, I suspect on a little girl, but I admit such thoughts are my hopes speaking before my reason._

 _My surroundings are calm—the village nearby has not shown signs of rebellion. My guards have been loyal to me for many years, and even those who do not share the sentiment wouldn't dare attacking me now they know of you. Still, I preferred a cave away from here in order to give birth. Not only do traditions ask me of this, but a secret place away from others will also give me a sense of security._

 _After our child is born, I will return home...and I hope to meet you there, not only for our child, but for me as well._

 _You've been most kind for accepting the terms I set for our bond. And I'm aware I told you that I had no wish to pursue for any kind of relationship beyond the connection we will share now we have a child. But I won't, neither can, ignore the longing for you burning in me at every moment._

 _We are souls linked through a bond that transcends time, and it frightened me. Having the chance, however, of an overview at the shape of why we are bonded, I rediscovered the beauty of the future that lays before me—a miracle I didn't expect._

 _I often watch as every leaf that falls and melts was once a flower—I adore the harmony, a luster in the sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been. And as the autumn darkness falls above the solitude of my home, all I can remember is your kindness—it is all I need to remember so peace can reign on my heart: the fire of your touch, the comfort of your arms, the longing I have for your voice, and every single gift for the fruit of our love, who will be born soon._

 _My sorrow, when you're not here with me, has those dark days of autumn rain as solace—and I wish one day to walk with you by the sodden pasture lane._

 _Here and now, the falling leaves are the representation of my tears, the cry of my passion for you. I swim in the cold, my love, aching for your presence. The garden of our love is green without limit and yields many fruits other than peace or joy. It bears love beyond any condition: without you, I cannot live, as a flower cannot blossom without the sun._

 _The autumn of today is my darkness followed by the next months to come, but my light is to know that soon I will be by your side, delighted by your touches and waking not only to one, but two smiles to greet my day._

 _I love you. I'm not afraid anymore._

 _There is no doubt or fear, just want and will._

 _I miss you greatly._

 _Please, be safe._

 _Yours and only,_

 _M._

He kept that letter hidden in his office. And he would re-read it from time to time, and his heart was warmed with love and longing and pain. He lost time how many time he had read those words, happiness, passion, even fear exploding inside his heart as fancy flames in a sense of fulfilment and peace.

He met her at night. Another ball of nobles and allies and enemies, of which he had been trained ever since to know how to behave, with whom to talk and what presences to avoid. His heart was broken at the time, desolate after the betrayal of his beloved, and he was in the process of forgetting. Those whom he could call friends, few by the way, tried at all costs to improve his mood, and while he smiled in an attempt to move on, his escapades only brought more and more scars.

That was when he saw her, in purple robes and golden hair. He knew it was not the effect of the strong wine he had been drinking for at least two hours, for the comfort he could find in alcohol had never made him feel so happy. He was honest with himself that night, admitting that not even his lost love had made him feel as if he had found his place in the world.

Then he ignored everything and everyone, men and women, and practically begged for a dance with that woman.

She denied him.

He insisted, of course, ever the fighter, and between unobtrusive looks and even bolder questions, they danced under the moonlight. He lost himself in her heavenly eyes, hard to discover the reasons behind her evident sadness, his heart burning in making happy a woman whose name she wouldn't tell no matter how many times he asked.

She was gone just like the old tales, at midnight, without leaving a crystal slipper behind. It left his heart panting, filled with renewed energy.

The ambush came soon after. The captain still blamed him for Lolita's death, and why he should not, since he had reaped her life.

Diego fought him and his men, being thrown to the ground in a none too shy battle. The woman of his heart saved him, defeating the men and his captain with only the movement of a hand, and he soon wondered if the magic she used to save his life was also used to steal his heart.

It did not matter, for she left him just as silently, and he shouted back.

Her image did not leave his head, and he begged any god to bring her back.

A wicked sorcerer told him everything about her.

He despaired to be with that woman. He changed his form. She accepted him and together they danced through the skies. They created life out of the truest love. He kept his distance in name of ancient traditions, yearning for the day when he would reveal his true nature. He sent gifts—perfumes, jewels, food, expensive fabrics, silver and gold. Finally, a rattle for the child she was expecting, along a black unicorn that almost cost him the right eye sight to find. He even suggested a name in a note.

Between letters, they talked and he dreamed of being able to find her again.

But then the letters stopped coming, and he abandoned everything. The connection told him that something terrible had happened and in agony he sought for her all over the kingdom.

The Evil Queen spoke of her death, but he did not believe. He couldn't.

Months after the last letter came the Dark Curse, and he was lost in the land without magic for thirty long years.

Upon awakening, the pain in his chest was huge.

And he cried.

The three fairies revealed the truth to him and he swore for revenge. He gave up when he realized the folly that would be lost if one was already lost.

He tried suicide.

Twice.

A razor and poison.

The three fairies found him. They helped.

He hated them for it.

He was hospitalized perhaps too many times, drinking more than he ever did back in his homeland. Diablo, already the stallion he was meant to be, only allowed him to approach but never to mount him. It was as if he expected the one to whom it was promised to, and Diego lamented.

The sun would rise and he would survive—then lay flowers by the tomb of the loves of his life, fourteen days into the month.

He choose that day for many reasons. Fourteen was a unique number. It takes fourteen days in waxing (growing larger) before we can observe the beautiful full moon. In China, it brings bad luck, pronounced "one four" which sounds like "death". To French, fourteen is the card of reasonableness and self-control—temperance. Reversed, shows lack of self-control, struggling with a conflict of interest.

To him, it meant forgetfulness to what he couldn't just ignore.

So winter was coming, and his day started like any other day, yet different. He woke up alone, coldness in every corner of that room that was confined to an old dresser, his bed, a broken lamp and a wardrobe that he bought it in hopes of repairing, but left the job undone, and one of the wardrobe's doors now rested against the wall near the window.

He absolutely hated this life, from the start, and would do it more and more and more.

"Hey, boss!"

He put on a black leather western hat and left the charming but old farmhouse he had been living for about thirty years.

"Boss!"

Diego drank from the hip flask hidden on his jacket. No breakfast today...or any. His muscular figure had dissipated over the years, and his beard was becoming a nuisance, not as white as his hair, yet it served to protect his face from the cold wind. It added on making him look at least ten years older than he actually was, yet he cared little, honestly. He wasn't the vain man he once was. He didn't have a reason to be.

He lost the reason to it.

"Good morning, boss!"

The farm was not very large, and even if it was, he would prefer to walk around as he checked on everything. According to his psychiatrist, walking was a great exercise to the body and to the mind, and it was basically all he could do, apart from drinking, to easy the pain on his chest.

"Boss!"

His employees were loyal and he knew them all by name. They came from different tales and lands, working under his command for different reasons he would not ask.

And all of them knew of his tragic history.

"Morning, boss!"

Soon after the end of his fourth hospitalization in a clinic, he had promised himself to rebuild the farm, no matter how damaged it was, and then decided to invest on a horse breeding business—he knew how to deal with horses and he loved them too so it was more like a hobby than anything.

The three fairies' magic helped a great deal on rebuilding the place: having a new barn, water supply, outdoor sheds (for horses in pasture), the shade shed (built in pastures lacking in shade trees), and so many other necessities (but not at, well, horses—Diego made sure to get them himself).

He had been, after all, a business men back in California.

Within a month, Nightfall Farm was back to life.

To Diego, working on the farm felt like a balm. He had many more things he ever hoped of having or dared to dream, yes, but he had to move on. So he walked horses and cared for foals, and spent the evenings reading and sighing papers on his office, and the dealings either involved investors, or simply checking ins to see if everything was as it should be.

He adored the place.

Yet, it lacked the presence of the family he always dreamed of having.

"Good morning, Mr Vega! I hope your day is well?"

Diego nodded to his assistance, a young brunette in her late twenties who went by the name Eloise, but spoke to her brother, also his foreman, "How is your shoulder, son?"

"Fine, sir." said the lad, named John. "Diablo got me pretty badly. Serves me right for trying to approach him."

Diego shook his head, "Don't blame yourself, son. That horse is more of a problem than a benefit." Then, he sighed, "His behaviour was never normal, but lately I don't know."

"He hasn't left the stables, sir." said John, "Won't even eat."

Diego frowned slightly, "I'll have a look at him then. But you should be resting, son."

"He should." said Eloise, wanting to be part of their conversation. "But my brother is stubborn as a bull."

"Why, you don't have to say it like that, sister." complained John.

Diego smiled softly, "I assume I have no appointments today?" he asked Eloise.

The young woman nodded, "I've already cleaned your schedule as you asked."

"Good. I shall be leaving for the day. Unless it is urgent, I won't be seeing anyone. Please, excuse me. And rest, son. I don't want anyone under my command exhausting themselves."

The lad nodded, "Aye, boss."

Diego tipped his hat, "Please, excuse me."

And then he left to his car.

"You won't give up, will you?"

Eloise turned her gaze to her brother, "I don't know what you're talking about."

John snorted, "Mr Vega, I made your coffee! Mr Vega, your laundry is ready!" he mimicked his sister's voice in a ridiculous way, "Honestly, if Father knew that—"

"I am his assistant for a reason." Eloise said.

"You became his maid." John replied.

Eloise rolled her eyes, "He's a good man. He's attractive, and I don't think it's fair for him to be alone. He didn't deserve that."

"No one does, little sis."

Eloise didn't say anything. She watched as her boss walked away and her heart jumped at the possibility of winning over his heart.

It was an almost impossible battle, of course, but she was never the one to back up.

She didn't get her job by luck, after all.

* * *

 _(May Flowers)_

"Don Diego! Please, come in!"

The fairy in pink coloured clothing smiled friendly as she opened the door of her house and realized who was visiting her and her sisters.

A tall man carried a glass bottle filled with the mead his farm produced.

"Lady Flora." Diego greeted her. "How do you do?"

The fairy did not have time to respond.

"Why, isn't Don!" Merryweather was soon pulling him by the hand, and the man found himself in the kitchen. Fauna was stirring a vegetable soup over low heat. When she saw Diego, she offered him a soft smile.

"What's in there?" Merryweather asked, noticing the glass bottle in Diego's hands.

Diego placed the bottle on her hands, "I've brought the mead you asked, Lady Merryweather." He answered.

The old woman's eyes were confused, "Mead?"

"You wanted to try that recipe and needed mead so it would be complete." Diego reminded her gently.

The old woman's eyes sparkled as the memory returned, "Oh yes. You have my gratitude, son." She glanced at the bottle on her hands, and seemed to inspect the object before looking up at Diego and saying, "You've been drinking."

Diego did not know why he was still taken by surprise. The disease that afflicted the old fairy had not reached its final stage, "I don't—"

"You shouldn't drink." Merryweather interrupted him, "Must we bewitch you?"

Feeling ashamed, having the three sisters helped him so much to recover from his addictions, Diego apologized, "I'm sorry."

But Merryweather only reached out, waiting for Diego to hand her the hip flask she knew he always carried with him.

The man sighed and surrendered, handing the hip flask to the old fairy, who threw the object straight into the trash and left the room to the garden outside without saying a word.

"How is she?" Diego asked Fauna then.

The green-eyed fairy sighed, "Somewhat unstable, but well, as fine as possible."

"I am fine!" They both heard Merryweather's voice come from the garden. Upon returning, she had a bouquet of white flowers in her hands, "Maleficent...I felt her presence." she told Diego, whose gaze became sad at the name of his twin flame, "Maybe if we search, we may find something."

Fauna sighed, "Sister—"

Merryweather ignored her, "You believe me, do not you, Don?"

Diego wanted to say yes with everything he had—but it would be giving way to feelings that should have been buried long ago, "I believe you are a woman of faith." He changed the subject wisely, but Merryweather wouldn't go for it just yet.

"You are a good man." She told him, "Bethany would've forgiven you." And then she offered him the bouquet of flowers she had arranged, as she always did when he visited, "I know she would. Do not blame yourself anymore. Let go. She wouldn't wish for you to loathe."

And Diego tried to smile, but the burning sensation in his eyes was stronger, forcing him to close his eyes.

"White lilies—" Merryweather referred to the flowers, "Her favourites."

And Diego nodded in what would be the attempt to accept his fate and loneliness for what seemed like the thousandth time.

"Blessings upon you, my son."

* * *

 _(Back to Nightfall Farm)_

The farm entrance had gates made of dark metal—the sign "Nightfall Farm" draw in elegant lines with a moon and a star symbol right below it—sustained by short grey stone columns, secured by the type of high expensive tech system Lily had broken just maybe more times than a regular person should—even those with an extensive criminal record like hers.

August pressed a bottom on the gate intercom panel three times, waiting for about twenty minutes until a female voice finally answered.

"Nightfall Farm. Miss Eloise Sanders speaking. How can I help you?"

"Good morning, Miss Sanders. My name is August Booth, I am Sheriff at Storybrooke's Police Station."

"For what I know, David Nolan is the sheriff."

"I'm as a substitute until he comes back. I would like to speak to Mr. Vega, could you open the gate?"

"Mr. Vega is not getting any visits today. I'm sorry but no exceptions."

"I understand, but it's important."

"Do you have a search warrant?"

August hesitated, "No but—"

"Then have a good day."

And the woman hung up the intercom.

August pushed the button on the intercom panel one, two, three, four times, "Hey! Wait! What the hell! You can't do this!"

"She just did." Lily got off the bike and walked past the intercom, rolling up her sleeves, "Now we do it my way."

August face palmed.

Lily ignored him. Staring at the gate, she began to think. Hidden cameras with sensors, automated locks that required numbers and perhaps fingerprints?

Child's play.

Took a hair clip to open the interactive panel and a recently brought cell phone (one of the many gifts her mother insisted on buying her) to hack the cameras.

The lock took many bottoms on her cellphone screen and an app to generate a new password.

It was less than five minutes before she had the alarm turned off and the gates opened.

August watched silently. He had done similar thing son his younger days but never seen something that complex. He glanced at the two not so well hidden camera monitoring any visitors, "You know, we could just...jump over the fence, right?"

Lily tried not to feel offended, "There is a magic field. Similar to Mom's, but way vulnerable. It's connected to the lock, so if I break the lock, the field is gone." Sure, Maleficent limited their studies to dragon magic and Lily could barely teleport herself, but that didn't mean the young woman hadn't already figured out how spells worked, and how they could be created. Enough will and anything was possible. Plus, she didn't 'burrow' three books from Mr Gold's old store for nothing. "My grand-aunts' work probably." She deduced as the kept working, "Or the Blue Fairy. Whoever is more convenient. But magic can't fight tech."

August frowned, "Why not just use magic to open the lock?"

"I don't know how to do that."

Right.

"And you sure trespassing is a good idea?"

Lily was annoyed, "You heard that bitch—we don't have a search warrant. So either I do this or we wait here forever, 'cause someone with a security system like this doesn't like visitors. Specially at Fridays and after visiting the tombs of his lost family."

August chose not to say anything more because it would lead to answers Lily most certainly wasn't in the mood to give. He stayed silent as Lily would do her job. She was halfway done when she noted the restless figure beside her.

"What's up?"

"You know they'll find us in a way or another."

"Which is the plan." Lily said. "We break, fight the old man and hope that he doesn't freak out."

Sure, the plan made her tremble a little. She was a few minutes of meeting her father. She still hadn't thought of a best approach. He thought of her and her mother death—he had just returned from the cemetery after visiting their graves. He was most likely moody, grumpy, perhaps drunk and totally not in the mood to talk to strangers.

Breaking into his security system was the worst propaganda she could do of herself—it could end on him dishonouring her the same way James Paige did.

But if Lily was honest, this search had more to do with her mother than herself. For Maleficent missed her twin flame and that wasn't fair. Lily just couldn't allow that to happen. They needed each other. They were made for each other. And they never talk about it. They didn't know each other.

Lily wouldn't allow that to stand.

She felt like she owned her parents this chance.

They had lost too much time already.

"You...don't need to come with me." She also owned August for everything. He was a cop—doing this could get in in trouble, although she knew the prince wouldn't to do anything against August once he knew the intent of his actions.

Yet August was as stubborn as her.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that." He handed her the much smaller helmet she has been wearing. "Ready to go?"

Lily ignored the strong beat of her heart and put the helmet on.

They drove down the road that seemed to have no end, lined of tall tress that blocked most of the view. Lily felt like a useless, nervous wreck. To say she was terrible at relationships was an understatement, so today could result in another rejection added to her next to disturbing long list OR something unexpected that could match her building relationship to her mother. She would try to say that the possibility of disappointment would not destroy her heart, but it was useless at this point. She had already invaded her father's farm, and she could end up thrown out of it if she was realist.

If she was optimistic, maybe her father would hear her.

If she were a pessimist, she wouldn't even care.

There is time to turn back.

The darkness, ever the torment, would whisper fears in her ear and Lily would close her eyes and swallow, her whole body shaking. Terror stung her, and having August's presence with her brought comfort, though not as much as she hoped.

And she was so distracted in what seemed to be a storm that she did not even notice when the bike stopped.

"...Lily?"

She opened her eyes.

The road lead to a typical farmhouse with a huge courtyard. It was kept in pristine condition, just like the fields around it. A clay oven was built to the side of the courtyard, and a small shed with all sorts of small projects and inventions stood lost in a corner.

August and Lily got off the bike, she way faster than him, and leaving the helmets behind, they walked to the farmhouse.

Lily herself felt like her heart was coming out of her mouth. The place had an aged and sad tone—making the say about a man's house reflecting his heart a somewhat ridiculously true statement.

As she stopped to look out a very large window, she noticed that everything was very still. The farmhouse boasted an abundance of space, overlooking the forest and farm. The kitchen was fully equipped yet untouched—she supposed her father didn't have many guests. The large wooden dinner table and benches and living area made everything depressing as they were obviously unused. There was an enormous fire place in the centre of the living place. The main door opened up onto a covered veranda with outdoor lounge. There is also a large raised fire pit for bonfires.

"Impressive place."

Lily jumped, startled, and noticed August smiling at her.

"You have pillows on your feet or what?" She asked irritated.

August chuckled, "Something like that." And Lily did not avoid a soft smile, returning to peer through the window that led into the living room.

"He is not here?" August asked.

Lily shook her head, "Or anyone. No staff either." She stepped away from the window and walked to the front of the house, where the hill began to last.

Her jaw dropped.

Beside her, August whistled, "Well, that's impressive."

This time, Lily had no reaction to his words.

Because everything in front of her took her breathe away.

The farmhouse was clearly not kept as well as the surrounding fields, which covered everywhere, and patterns only broke up by an occasional tree left to grow in peace. All around, beautiful horses and coats ran and lounged in the hushed pastures, and passing field after field ran the road to the south.

A set of three very large and tall silos would first caught the attention of everyone who arrived. They were filled with various grains a reserve to feed the animals By the backyard, you could hear bees buzzing all around the cacophony of flowers. Right beside it, a small seating area provided a resting place for those enjoying some of the mead produced and sold right here on the farm. The place itself held a friendly feel, which was helped by the gentle breeze carrying the scent of ripe fruits coming from a modest orchard.

The cold wind hit on her face, only worsening the sting in her eyes, and she wiped her tears with the sleeve of her sweater.

"Lily?"

She shook her head, not wanting to utter any words because she would not even know how. She just stared at the fields in contemplation of what she had once imagined as a paradise.

As a consolation from the heavens, the sunlight travelled shy through the clouds, giving even more colour and beauty to the place. Lily felt the heat of the sun's rays and as her life went through her head, she allowed herself to cry quietly.

She had found another place to call home .

And someone knew that.

"Run!"

Several employees ran out of the stables. They fled in desperation, asking for help. They quickly jumped over the white fence surrounding the training grounds quickly, some falling over the others.

Behind them, a black figure emerged in fury.

Lily's eyes widened.

 _D...Diablo?_

She ran down the hill to the fields of her father's farm before she could stop herself.

Not that she wanted to.

"Wait!"

August's voice stayed behind, as well as all the reasoning Lily could have. She was so excited. The darkness did not even say anything. It was as if it had been silenced in the face of such joy.

Diablo ran through the training grounds, and employees exclaimed for help. It was indeed an enormous beast for his bearing, very similar to a Shire breed Lily once saw as a little girl, about six feet tall or more, but less furry.

Either way, Lily was delighted. It was the most beautiful horse she had ever seen.

And it was hers.

"Be careful!"

One of the employees shouted at her as he noticed that she was very close to the fence. But Lily just jumped over it and did not wait a second to walk to Diablo, who had not noticed her presence yet.

When he did, however, the employees became desperate.

"For God's sake, that bloody horse is not tamed! Get out of here!"

Lily ignored the man's warning and tried to read Diablo's posture—it was not aggressive, barely guarded. Any sudden movement would frighten him, sure, but fear would only add to his survival instincts. The key was to show absolutely nothing out, pretend she was not there, and definitely not try to run.

It worked.

The animal, as the fate given to him, walked quietly to the one he knew to be his mistress.

Lily grinned, but waited for the animal to come to her. She reached out to touch his muzzle and the animal nuzzled her hand. She then caressed his neck softly, practically laughing.

"You know who I am?" the animal let out a little air through his nostrils in response, and this time, Lily laughed, "Nice to meet you too, boy. Name's Lilith—Lily, for short."

The animal whinnied, happy. Lily could feel an aura of magic around him—the horn was hidden behind a simple spell to avoid mercenaries. She could bet the fairies were involved in this.

In the background, none of the farm employees understood a thing, "But what the hell?" one of them asked.

August, leaning against the fence, watched the scene from afar.

Lily returned his smile.

"This is Diablo."

The horse whinnied again, allowing August to caress his neck.

"I thought it was a unicorn?"

"There's a spell." Lily responded, "My great-aunts, probably. To keep him from danger."

"Your great-aunts?"

"Long story."

"Perhaps one day you can tell me?"

Lily was almost bemused by his audacity.

"That's your way to—"

"Excuse me!"

The pair turned, seeing three employees approaching, followed by a brunette in clothes that had nothing to do with a farm—a secretary probably. Diablo was uneasy with their presence, moving from side to side, and Lily tried to calm him down.

"Easy, boy, easy." She soothed him, stroking his mane, "It's okay."

"How does she do that?" Lily heard one of the employees ask. She turned to the secretary, who just like employees, did not dare to get too close. Lily immediately felt a bad feeling towards the brunette, but she did not let her suspicion show completely.

"Well, that's...interesting." murmured the brunette, staring at Lily wide-eyed.

Lily was confused, "I'm sorry?"

"Nobody touches this horse and lives to tell." explained the brunette. "My brother almost broke his shoulder just from trying to feed him."

Lily smirked, "I have my way with animals."

"I can see that." the brunette then frowned, "May I ask who are you? The gates are closed and there was no authorization given to anyone to come in. I would know if that happened. But Mr Vega made it clear that he doesn't wish to be disturbed and I will make a point of following his orders."

Ah yes. A secretary in love. It was all she needed.

"I'm Sheriff Booth, and this is my friend, Lily." August was again taking the lead, showing his badge, and Lily was grateful for it. She hated diplomacy. "We are in the middle of an investigation. And we need to see Mr Vega, if you please."

"I'm Eloise, Mr Vega's assistant." said the young woman, "And as I said before, he is unavailable for the day. He's a very busy man."

"I understand, but this is a very important matter." August said.

But Eloise was not intimidated, "It's not because we live on a farm that we know less about our rights." Eloise said with conviction, "In truth, I should call the police. But apparently not even them wish to follow the law."

August sighed, "Miss Eloise—"

"It's Miss Sanders to you." she interrupted, "And you're pushing the limits of a private property."

"And we're sorry. But this is a matter of urgency—"

"What's going on here?"

Lily could proudly claim she tried to stay calm, but her heart was struggling in surprises and fears, had ready itself to face anger, raw and harsh, fed on all lies told, vindictiveness and passion.

Instead, she found devotion, possessiveness, and sacrifice—along the natural abuse of tobacco and alcohol due the pain of the memories of darkness, blatantly exposed in a pair of hazel eyes holding the longing she thought only dreams could create.

Regret and sorrow.

Then kindness.

So much it made her lost her breathe.

"Boss!"

And literally everything else was forgotten.

By the gods...

He was tall. About twenty centimetres more than her. At least ten more than an average man. He was strong, large shoulders, and he seemed to have seen better days—and Lily did not blame him for his obvious neglect of himself. His grey beard with shades of white made him look older, dark circles and the stains of time showed weariness, and dried lips (not cold, but gin? Whiskey? Mead? Certainly not the best wine). The clothes were not very new, typical of a farmer's life: boots, plaid shirt, jacket and hat. His hands were large and carried calluses after years of hard work. Perhaps a few scars from using swords. His almost black eyes watched gestures and read thoughts, said fears and cried pains. His voice reminded her of thunderstorms, hoarse and grave, deep and yet comforting.

Lily witnessed her devil-infused youth reflected in her father's past.

"Well?"

His imposed authority and respect made her heart jump at the same time her body was petrified.

"Diablo broke out his stall, sir." one of the employees finally answered. "Luckily, this girl found a way to calm him down."

All eyes turned to Lily.

Hers wouldn't leave her father.

Couldn't.

"You..." Diego paused in thought, as if the idea of what happened was too much to him, "...calmed him down?" the emphasis to the word allowed his Spanish accent to escape smoothly.

Lily was unable to maintain her composure much longer. She dropped Diablo's reins all at once, taking two steps back. August touched her arms, an attempt of comfort that barely worked. She started trembling.

Which didn't go unnoticed by Diego, "I don't remember allowing access to my home." he then commented, grabbing Diablo's reins.

"I was just informed that the gates were opened and the security system hacked, Mr Vega." Eloise was talking, her phone in her hand.

Diego raised an eyebrow, and turned to Lily and August, "And you are...?"

"Sheriff August Booth, at your service." He showed his badge, and he and Diego shook hands, "I'm conducing an investigation that requires your help, Mr Vega. We...we took a long while to find you."

But Diego's expression did not seem to soften at the explanation. In fact, it got worse.

"So you're trying to solve a crime by committing another? I fail to see the logic."

Oh, the aggressive attitude bathed in sarcasm.

So nice to see from where she got it.

"I can assure we didn't mean—"

"Didn't you?" Diego's gaze found Lily's, "Have you nothing to say?"

Many, many things.

"Lilith." she spoke at once, "I mean, my name is Lily, I—"

"A pleasure to meet you, Lily." Diego turned to his secretary, "Miss Sanders, escort this young woman and her...partner, out of here. No violence necessary. They did save your life. I thank you, by the way." He told Lily directly, and tipped his hat as a farewell, "I bid you good day."

"Wait!"

The plea echoed through the farm and it seemed that even the animals were silent.

"We...we need to talk—you and me. Alone." Lily asked—begged even, "It's...it's important. Please, we—I-I really need to talk to you."

For my whole life.

Diego's eyes widened a little at her sudden sincerity and desperation, but nothing left his mouth. He just watched the young woman more closely.

She looked familiar.

Eloise tried to intervene, "Mr Vega, I'm not sure—"

Diego raised his hand, and the secretary closed her mouth, "As you wish."

Lily's shoulders fell in a reflex, so was her relief.

"You wait here." Diego told August, resting a hand on his shoulder, "I believe there's no problem?"

August glanced at Lily, who nodded at him.

The sheriff watched them walk Diablo to the stables.

* * *

Not far away, a female figure walked curiously around the farmhouse on the hill, eyes attentive to the smallest details and the lack of photos on the walls.

The silence wasn't as welcoming as she thought.

* * *

The stables housed dozens of horses of many breeds. The building was a very American-style—a large barn with a door at each end separated in individual stalls with top and bottom-opening doors, saddles hanging on each.

Lily could read names transcribed on small black plates attached to the doors. Looking closely, she noticed that it was the name of the horse that lived there.

"May I ask how did you hacked my system?" Diego asked as he opened the door bearing the name "Diablo," and locked the animal inside its stall. "It did cost me a fortune." Diego removed from his coat one of the many hip flasks he kept in his house. "Not that I'm not impressed." He said, and drank from his hip flask, grimacing at the taste.

Lily sniffed the air discreetly.

Gin.

"A little bit frustrated too. I developed that system myself." Diego then laughed, "And I ask you to give me the new password before you go." He sat down on a wooden stool leaning on a corner right beside the door leading to Diablo's stall. His gait was tired and a bit slow. He was recovering from a hungover.

For Lily, it was impossible not to stare at him and try to find some resemblance. She had done this several times when she was with her mother—and even did not need much, for Maleficent liked to tell her how much they looked like, how Lily reminded her of herself in younger years. Lily knew that she and her mother looked too much like, and one day she hoped to reach the maturity and calmness that her mother had developed as the years went by.

As to her father?

A complete mystery to be solve over time.

"Now tell me—" Diego's firm voice took Lily from her thoughts. "—what do you wish to speak about that cannot be heard by strange ears?"

Lily's eyes inevitably fell on the hip flask her father insisted on drinking again, only in a longer sip. Diego obviously noticed her peculiar curiosity, and was kind enough to offer it.

"You're awfully quite, are not you?"

 _While you speak a lot? Yeap._

"I used to be like you, you know? Not without reason, of course." His gaze became sadder than Lily thought possible, and her chest was filled in a compassion that even the darkness did not expect. "You see, the fairies tried to help." his eyes got lost on the floor until he turned to the hip flask in his right hand, "—they did try to convince me that this isn't going to get me anywhere. And they are right." finally, he sighed, "But no one said that it gets any easier to forget."

It has been four years to him, after all. One can forget a passion in a short time. It's more painful, yes, but it goes away.

But a true love that was not consummated to its full?

The image of her mother's so ordinary evening routine, sitting on the porch with a glass of wine in her hands, her gaze lost in the cold night bathed in the stars.

"You shouldn't."

The hip flask.

She was talking about the hip flask and her father's insistence on drinking a second handed gin.

Diego raised his eyes to face her eyes, "You—"

"Cocaine and meth. Rehab clinic for two years. I was sixteen."

Diego frowned at the brief summary of the young woman's story, as well as embarrassed by his own laziness and unwillingness to simply do what was best—what he knew would be the wisest in order for him to have a prosperous life and could play with his business without further problems.

A purpose was lacking.

Despite loving his farm, it was hard returning home to an empty bed.

"What do you wish of me?" Diego tried again, confused by her silent behaviour.

Lily swallowed hard, and kept her eyes glued to the floor.

"To talk."

Oh right, quite the eloquent one.

The darkness was so proud.

"Care to elaborate?"

She wished but she could not.

"You're not really a cop, are you?" The compassion took over in a way that she almost lost her breath. "That man...the sheriff, or whatever he is...is he forcing you to do something?"

Lily's eyes found his in an instant, "No!" she shouted, and maybe her voice was too loud that it startled a few horses. "He's helping me!"

Diego didn't seem convinced, "By breaking into my home?"

Oh, he was losing his patience.

No wonder. She hasn't speak anything. It was unnerving.

"I...needed to find you."

An immediate reaction was Diego porting an expression that said absolutely nothing. He seemed to be pondering her response, but not in a way that judged her behaviour nor actions. Lily wondered how her parents could get through hell of awkward situations without losing control and why she didn't seem to have get any of that. Were the darkness able to prevent any discipline from planning in her heart? She stared at Diablo, and wondered if only horses would know about her 'good' side. She was always terrible in relationships with people. When she was little, she preferred to talk to horses than to the few friends she had.

This has not changed at all over the years.

"Why did you need to find me?" His strong, even voice again caught her attention, "Is there...did we meet before? I feel...I can tell I know from somewhere. Though not from where, as I'm terrible at memorizing faces. Maybe...maybe you met someone I knew?"

Lily's eyes widened at that.

God, he knew how to read people.

"You can say that."

"And who would it be?"

This was the worst part of the plan, the one that she had not paid attention to. How could she prove to him that she was his long lost child without making him think she was going crazy? Because she just could not just tell him, "I'm your daughter." He was partially drunk and although she doubt he was the violent type, she couldn't really tell with him—she didn't know him. Any news stories told in the wrong way could make him have some unwanted reaction.

Plus, Lily did not want to add more pain to her father's life. She just wanted to make things simpler.

But how to tell him?

He would demand evidence, like any normal person. She could show him her magic, which at first seemed to be a good idea if it didn't the opening to her father to deduce that the fact that Diablo was harmless to her was only Lily making use of some kind of spell.

There was their great physical resemblance, but Diego seemed too tired to notice details. What's more, he could blame his gin for making his mind to distort reality for what he wanted.

She could tell his story? Which was public domain and probably everyone on the farm knew him.

She could talk about her mother, which would lead to revealing that Maleficent was alive as well and Lily did not want to drop two bombs at once. And finding out that his family was alive on the very day he went to visit their tombs seemed too good to be true. Her father had lived too long to not believe anything he was told, although his kindness and willingness to listen to a stranger showed that he was rather open to dialogue.

But what could prove that she was who she really was?

The sound of a baby rattle stormed into her mind and the object seemed to burn in her pocket. She always carried it with her in an attempt to remember that everything she was living—the magic that seemed to be unbelievable, just like her mother's love for her—all of it was real like the skies and the rain and the clouds, and it would not disappear in a simple gust of wind as in several of the dreams she had over her life.

"So?"

Lily swallowed, and taking all the courage she believe she didn't have, she pulled out her baby rattle from her pocket. She heard her father let out a deep breath that someone would say resplendent the pain of his soul. His voice became even more serious, and his eyes lowered, all in the confession of a man who clearly had no one to talk to, despite having the loyalty of so many.

"Not all was lost."

Diego was not shy as his eyes were filled with tears.

Lily, emphatically, allowed him to take the small object in his free hand.

"Silver was her favourite." He chuckled softly, and there was lots of sadness added to it, "I planned to send toys, too, not made of silver, of course. Wanted to carve them in the finest wood myself. I'm good at carpentry—used to be, at least, and then—didn't have time Not that it matters…" Another sip of gin followed by another, lower sigh. "…I apologise. My past must sound dismal to you..." he paused to frown to himself, "...to anyone, actually. At any rate, I did not mean to make you uncomfortable."

Lily didn't have the guts to face him. It was too much emotion, too much for a person who did not even know how to answer to a sincere compliment from her own mother.

"I don't know how you came to possess this. Neither do I care." and for the first time that day, he touched her, in the arm, giving it a weak squeeze, "Thank you."

The young woman merely nodded, perhaps too many times, and said nothing more.

Diego accepted her silence, and took another sip of his hip flask to keep himself at bay.

Figures her father had the same habit of keeping his feelings to himself.

"Is there anything I can offer you as a reward?"

The proposal surprised her, "...wait, what?"

"You brought me a piece of the past—" his hold on the small object tightened, and his Adam's apple went up and down forcefully. His mouth dry again, he drank from his flask—to give himself courage, to keep him grounded. But a second later, he breathed a sigh, "—the last and only connection I had to my child." and looked up at her, "I'm at your debt. Ask me anything and it shall be yours."

Lily was naturally shocked, and involuntarily took a step back, "This isn't why—I didn't came here for—"

"Yes, of course, I—" his eyes fell to the small object in his hands, "I apologize. If I've offended you, that is. It was never my intention to—"

"You didn't."

He nodded twice, "Good." and ported a small, sad smile, "Good."

Oh, there was nothing good. Not in his voice, or his words, that empty could not sound more. There was defeat in his posture, in the way his shoulders fell, and the loose manner in which he held hip flask between his fingers, and the lack of care taken in despair as he drank his gin.

And yet, there was the gentleness and longing in which he stared and caressed that small baby rattle.

And there were his eyes, so sad.

Lily wanted to scream and tell him everything, that her mother was alive and that she missed him, and that she felt in her heart that despite being angry for his lies, she would forgive him, because their bond was stronger than any potion created by an unscrupulous princess.

And it was no good to feel as if her body would not obey her, and all there was left was her mind, and the darkness would laugh at her ears, mocking her incapacity.

Lily always hated her condition, but never as much as now.

"I'm sorry," She whispered, and did not notice that she had thought aloud till her father addressed her with a sincere smile.

"It's alright," He said, "There are things you cannot change." His gaze did not leave the baby rattle, "but you can keep memories, and rejoice on them—"

"I didn't came here to give you this."

Diego blinked, naturally confused, "You didn't?"

Lily crossed her arms to shield herself from more than her own feelings, to try to hide the tremor from her body, and to stay strong in what was one of the most thrilling moments of her life, of which she did not know again what to do but keep silent.

Diego obviously read behind her abrupt change in behaviour, "You don't need to be afraid, girl," he stood up and approached her in slow steps, almost carefully, and placed a hand on her arm again, "If there is something happening—"

 _"Lady Maleficent, wait!"_

Diego thought he had heard the name wrong. His lips parted and any upcoming questions were interrupted by the stables doors opening in a momentum, and the wind gasped around in an unwilling force.

 _"El Zorro."_

In the distance, standing by the stables doors, the slender figure of a woman was against the sunlight, and only her dark silhouette could be seen.

Her voice, however, was soft—the true contrast with the thrill of such a sublime moment.

 _"...Mom."_

A harsh gasp, and any noise from outside, or around them, was muffled by the little song of a hip flask falling to the hay that was scattered across the floor, and Diego let it be so, the baby rattle still with him.

Maybe he lost count on how many things he felt in all those years alone and silent. Yet nothing would compare to the voice of thunders crossing the heavens, stunned by the wind on his face that revealed the tears that were already running through his face as the truth before his eyes brought an understanding that shook his very core.

And when he saw her offer comfort with a glance, a smile and a touch at the young woman previously talking to him and who now tried to wipe her face with the sleeve of her sweater.

The hip flask remained abandoned, yet taking his attention and thoughts, he being so sure that he had not drunk enough to start seeing things.

"Hello, Don."

There was no hatred like he always thought there would be. There was no love and affection contained in the letters that they had so often exchanged, however.

She first took notice on his condition, of course, by the way of his body, the truth in his eyes and silence of his mouth.

Hallucinations had him for a short time, and they had him tied up on a stretcher and sedated for days. Not that drinking could not cut off the effects of his meds—he had nightmares in the few nights he could sleep precisely because of the mixture of substances that he had been strictly forbidden to have contact with.

But who was there to judge him?

Who could?

His mind avoided thinking of her very name—because thinking led to memories that would kill him in agony, and in agony he kept him alive. Death would not be a remedy for anything but his pain, but it was not the way out that would lead him to the origins of his heart.

"Lily, would you like to wait outside?"

Her mother always gave her a choice and it was one of the things Lily would usually be extremely grateful for. And while she was also usually selfish as the darkness wished her to be, today she knew that her presence wouldn't help on anything in the matter.

"No."

His strong voice startled both of them, and their eyes met him. He was confused, rightfully so, not knowing who to believe in, or if he should believe them at all.

"Who..." Which it didn't stop him to ask, abrupt, brusque, "...what's going on?"

Maleficent was resigned in looking abnormally controlled. Lily however was desperate at the state of shock her father had developed in less than two seconds, and also angry at how regal her mother's arrival was. She would divert her gaze between her parents—God, those were her parents—not knowing what to do. The sole purpose of this introduction was to prepare her father for, well, everything. And now it didn't matter. It was as if her mother did not care if Diego could have a heart attack or not, if she did not know that he spent years mourning their "deaths", that he regretted his lies at every moment, and that he had honoured her memory and loved her more than anything.

But she knew what really happened.

Otherwise, she wouldn't even have bothered to be there.

Nor said his name out loud to ensure him that she knew.

"You know who I am."

But Diego's figure was tremor with a light touch of barely contained desperation. There was a ambitious intensity of looking at him in the eye, which could feel simultaneously invasive and vulnerable. Bittersweet, however, was to see how things turned out, how their plans were interrupted and their practically ruined with traumas that perhaps could never be forgotten.

It was difficult for Maleficent to ignore it, as well the sudden awareness of her own heartbeat.

She took a step closer, "I'm not here to hurt you."

Diego was frozen in place, staring at her with wide eyes, breathing quietly but heavily, his colour gone as he rallied from the shock. The alcohol on his system was not only to blame.

"I was with my aunts." Maleficent tried to explain carefully. She was becoming a little breathless as the reality started to sink in, but never lost her composure, still keeping the rational part of something she also hoped for, but she never thought it would actually happen. Which could somehow justify why she didn't think twice before August told her that her child and soul-mate were talking on the stables. "They told me about you—this." She took a couple of steps closer, and the result was immediate: Diego took two more steps back, stumbling. If it had not been for Maleficent, he would have lost balance and fallen. She had acted quickly, though, surprising Lily as she did so, and helped Diego sit back on the stool.

"Breathe with me." Maleficent tentatively rested her hands his cheeks, candling his face, and his trembling was so strong under her fingers it frightened her. "Breathe."

And even with trembling lips, with a fearful heart, a tired mind and a dark heart, Diego tried to speak, incoherent and weak, "I—you are—but—I felt it—felt it when you—when you…"

Maleficent frowned slightly, watching him carefully, searching for recognition. The reflex of own eyes in his tears, in colour and pain, brought a sympathetic conclusion fed by an information given not but a less than an hour ago, "You felt when the Saviour killed me."

Diego's voice sounded broken in ways many would think he had lost reason, his eyes filled with tears of desperation, "I felt it! The…the fairies said the bond—that it would keep us connected! That I would know if she was harmed! A-and I knew! Even before the curse was broken! You—she—died and—and—I couldn't do anything! I couldn't—I couldn't!"

His cry was despair. He was not gentle. His words carried longing, his love, his need. Sobs and tears and sorrow getting better of him.

Oh.

Maleficent wouldn't let go of his face, forcing to look deeply into her eyes while wiping his tears, "The magic on the cave kept me alive. Enough so the Dark One would resurrect me."

 _"...Díos..."_

"I'm alive."

 _"Por favor..."_

"I'm here."

 _"No..."_

"Don—"

The sorceress' voice trailed off as he felt strong arms wrapped around her much smaller frame if compared to hers. It took but a moment for Maleficent to recover from the sudden act before accepting his touch and pressing against him, standing in between his legs, basking in the warmth emanating from him, the burning sensation in her chest suffocating her lungs.

Lily saw her father shaking, and his sobs weren't timid nor muffled.

And so that's it.

Enough to make Lily herself break into tears all over again. Just like some would say it would be. Mostly. Or maybe not, after all, her life has never been easy. How could it be? On a low note, it was as if the pain was singing as much as it could. And the fire was so much, terrifyingly frightening that it was welcoming, a recognition of blood, and the air left her lungs accompanied by her own sobs and sympathy.

Because what else could she do? It lead to the darkness raging in her head. At best, she would say nothing. At worse, the darkness would take over and she usually didn't remember a thing after the adrenaline was gone.

But Lily had become stronger. She now could fight against so many impulses. Her mother had taught her so.

Yet, right now, all she could do was cry while witnessing her parents' very first hug.

Memories served as a shy soundtrack to this moment. Melodies school plays and an empty chairs, competitions she won to only receive a dry smile as praise, and the years of rehabilitation without visits...pains that ran through the wind, sweet and soft.

Lily understood why fate had joined his soul to her mother's. Because in face of pain and loss, both were gentle, they understood, they listened, even without knowing what the next moment would be like, they did not judge, just...were there.

They gave her the greatest gift a child could ask for.

They loved her.

And so she cried.

What else could she do?

"I thought...I couldn't..." With a sob, Diego pulled away and pressed his forehead against Maleficent's. "I'm so very sorry. I lied—I know that we—that you won't—you didn't—I'm no dragon, I—please, forgive me—"

"There is nothing to forgive." The sorceress whispered and her voice was filled with emotion, "Absolutely nothing." then, she placed her hand over his chest, his heart, quietly listening to the now swift beating of his soul. "Don, I'm here. We are here." she declared, stroked the back of his neck, feeling the fire travel from his body to hers through the passion pumped by his strong heart. Her own began to beat painfully faster. "We never left," She allowed herself to touch his face in the kind caresses that made him cry openly. "We never will."

"We..." His gaze tentatively tore itself from his woman, falling over Lily. "...we— _you_..." he addressed Lily then, who, in a reflex, squeezed eyes that seemed to burn, her dry throat almost closing. "You said _Mom_ —"

"It's her." Maleficent told him, and that made his eyes wide. "Our _Elena_."

Said young woman frowned and cleaned her throat, adding a shy smile that soon turned into a sad sigh, "Look, I didn't—"

"You didn't!" He would laugh in the midst of tears, and cry more without shame, and hug her and kiss her cheeks, "So beautiful, a woman already." and then he would hold her face and wipe away her tears and smile so openly that Lily would be so proud. Deep down, knowing that her father—and mother—loved her so much made her feel so happy. Like the perfect little girl her foster parents wished her to be.

The difference was that with her biological parents, there was no need for perfect grades, perfect plays, medals or smiles at fancy parties. Lily was loved because she existed. And there was no words to express how wonderfully new and frightening that was. But she was not running away.

 _Never again._

"And taming Diablo already! No wonder you did it! He recognized you!"

Lily wanted to laugh, and even did so, shortly, but soon after she wanted to cry again, and unlike her father, she held back her sobs.

"It's alright, I'm here." She would hear him whisper against her hair, before kissing her temple gently, "Díos, _you_ are here!" and he would laugh again, his voice cracking and then more and more tears.

Oh, well.

You see, magic is not about power or possessions. It's not about physical things. It is about the passion of ideas, the possibility, the dreams that are sought and may or may not come true. It's about action, not results.

And to think that so many tried to overthrow this man, El Zorro, when it was enough for the woman in his heart and the fruit of their love to be there and he would burst into tears and almost fall to his knees, weak and frank, human at his very core, corroded with a longing that killed him while keeping him alive in the memory of what they had lived and hoping to one day to find them.

But they were there.

With him.

 _Them._

And he was theirs.

* * *

 **A/N: And this is it! Thanks for reading!**

 **See ya!**


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